European leaders insist on active US participation in future security guarantees for Ukraine, writes IZ. Diplomatic negotiations are being conducted against the backdrop of a protracted Russian invasion, which has been going on for four years. Despite initial caution, President Donald Trump's team agrees with the need for American participation, but insists on a greater role for European countries, Bloomberg reports. Washington is considering the option of providing support without the active involvement of ground troops, leaving this function to European allies.
The current US position risks limiting the capabilities of the peacekeeping mission. European countries recognize that without the participation of American troops, the guarantees may not be convincing enough to deter Russia. France and Germany are in favor of developing concrete plans for European troops, but they say that without U.S. support, the success of such a mission remains questionable. The situation is complicated by the fact that the Trump administration is not ready to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine, proposing to involve the private sector to solve these tasks.
President Zelensky emphasizes that U.S. participation in security guarantees is critically important. At the same time, Trump is holding talks with China on resolving the conflict. His team also advocates maintaining diplomatic pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions. Despite this, European partners fear that a change in the U.S. position could affect confidence in the guarantees.
Diplomatic consultations are ongoing, and a visit by the U.S. special representative for Ukraine and Russia is expected in the near future. Western leaders hope to reach agreement on key security issues during the first hundred days of the new administration. However, details regarding the terms and composition of the peacekeeping mission remain unclear.
