(The Center Square) – U.S. military leaders met with NATO defense chiefs on Wednesday to iron out details of security protections for Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal with Russia.
Security guarantees are a key component of ongoing conversations about ending the three-year-long war in Europe. These measures would be included in a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin does not attempt to invade Ukrainian territory again.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European heads of state at the White House on Monday, President Donald Trump indicated that the U.S. would be involved in providing these protections for Ukraine in some way.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said U.S. involvement would not include deploying troops during a news conference Tuesday.
“The president has definitely stated U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine,” Leavitt said. “But we certainly can help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies.”
Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. may provide air support as a part of security protections for Ukraine. Although Putin has rejected Ukraine’s admission to NATO, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff signaled that Putin will allow NATO members to provide Ukraine with Article 5 protections in a potential peace deal. NATO’s Article 5 says that “an armed attack against one or more of its members shall be considered an attack against them all.”
In attendance at Wednesday’s meeting were delegations from the U.S., Poland, Germany, Canada, Hungary and 20 other countries. Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said the leaders had a “candid discussion” during the meeting.
“We are united, and that unity was truly tangible today,” Cavo Dragone said.
The meeting comes one day after Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine hosted European military counterparts in Washington to continue talks on security guarantees. Delegations from France, the U.K., Italy and Finland were present.
The White House is working to secure a location for the forthcoming bilateral meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. At a press briefing Tuesday, Leavitt declined to comment on reports that Budapest, Hungary is being considered.
