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US President Donald Trump has ruled out US troops to help protect Ukraine against Russia after appearing to have left the possibility the day before.
In a morning television interview, Trump also said that hope for Ukraine to join NATO and reclaim the Crimea from Russia was “impossible.”
Trump, Ukrainian President Voldymi Zelenkie, and other European leaders held several hours of consultations in Washington, aimed at ending a full-scale invasion of Russia’s Ukraine.
In response to questions from White House journalists, Trump did not rule out sending US troops to participate in European-led efforts to protect Ukraine as part of Zelensky’s security demands.
Trump said last week that after a meeting in Alaska and then with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Putin is open to the idea of security assurance in Ukraine.
But on Tuesday he asked Fox News assurance that he was not part of defending Ukrainian borders beyond his term, Trump said, “Well, you have my assurance and I’m the president.”
However, after his terms end in January 2029, Trump will not control the US military.
Later Tuesday, White House spokesman Caroline Leavitt emphasized that “US boots are not on the ground” as part of a potential peacekeeping mission.
Levitt also said at a press briefing that Putin had promised to hold a meeting where Trump would face-to-face with Zelensky, but that has not yet been confirmed by the Kremlin.
During talks between Zelensky and European leaders on Monday, Trump said he is seeking a tripartite talk between Zelensky, Putin and himself.
However, after speaking with Putin later that day, Trump said he had initially arranged for a face-to-face meeting between Zelensky and Putin, and three-way talks would continue if necessary.
“It was an idea that evolved yesterday in the course of President Putin, President Zelensky and the president’s conversation with European leaders,” explained Levitt.
Trump said he believes Putin’s course of action will be revealed in the coming weeks.
“I think Putin is tired of that,” Trump said. “I think they’re all tired of it, but you never know. We’re going to find out about Putin in the next few weeks. I can tell you.”
In the same interview, Trump said he was optimistic that deals could be reached to end the Russian invasion, but emphasized that Ukraine must abandon its hopes of reclaiming Crimea, which was seized by Russian forces in 2014 and its long-standing desire to join the NATO military alliance.
“Both are impossible,” Trump said.
Putin is looking for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the recognition of Crimea as Russia’s territory as part of a potential deal to separate the troops from Ukraine.
Additional sources •AP
