Assurance for Kiev from Europe: Absence of American Military Personnel
In a series of high-level meetings and discussions, global political leaders have been deliberating on security guarantees for Ukraine as peace talks with Russia loom.
The latest development comes with Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) announcing that a Zelenskyy-Putin meeting is planned within the next two weeks. This follows the US President Trump's push for a bilateral meeting between Zelenskyy and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, followed by a trilateral meeting with his participation. Putin has reportedly agreed to the bilateral meeting according to German government circles.
At a recent meeting in Washington, European political leaders, including Donald Trump, discussed promises of protection based on Article 5 of the NATO treaty. However, the details of the USA's support for security guarantees remain unclear, with Trump initially leaving them open after the meeting.
There is a disagreement over the need for an immediate ceasefire as a prerequisite for peace talks. Trump had dropped this central demand after the Alaska summit with Putin, while Chancellor Merz continues to insist on this demand.
Russia currently rejects the stationing of troops from NATO countries in Ukraine. The exact nature of Germany's contribution to the security guarantees is still undecided, but the German government has hailed the Ukraine summit in Washington as a historic event, with Trump largely aligning himself with the position of the Europeans.
The UK Prime Minister Starmer has announced that representatives of the Coalition of the Willing will meet with their US counterparts to solidify security guarantees for Kyiv. The countries part of the "Coalition of the Willing" meeting with US representatives to discuss security guarantees for Kyiv are not explicitly listed in the provided search results, but one source mentions the coalition's readiness to play an active role on the eastern border and discuss security guarantees for Kyiv as of early March 2025, without naming specific members.
French President Emmanuel Macron has warned against rushing into a peace treaty without assurances, while Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described security guarantees for his country as a priority for peace with Russia. EU Council President António Costa spoke of growing momentum regarding security guarantees for Ukraine after a follow-up discussion on the Ukraine summit.
In a conversation with Fox News, Trump expressed that he expects Germany, France, and Britain to be ready to send soldiers to Ukraine to secure a possible peace. The USA is ready to support allies in securing a possible peace, for example from the air. Costa expects a promise of protection similar to that in Article 5 of the NATO treaty with continued US engagement.
The public reaction from Russia was initially muted, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stating that all contacts involving the heads of state must be prepared with utmost care. However, the implications of these discussions and the upcoming meetings remain to be seen. The EU Council President shows optimism regarding the peace process for Ukraine, but the road to a lasting peace remains filled with challenges.
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