President Donald Trump has said that no U.S. troops will be deployed in Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
When asked in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday what assurances he could give that there would be no “American boots on the ground” to defend the Ukrainian border with Russia, even beyond his presidency, Trump replied: “You have my assurance, and I’m president. ”
The President had previously not ruled out the possibility of U.S. personnel being deployed in Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force should a deal be reached between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Read more: How Putin Brushed Off Trump’s Latest Push for Peace in Ukraine
The prospect of U.S. military support had become a possibility again in recent days as Trump has pressed both Ukraine and Russia to reach a deal.
Trump sat down with Zelensky on Monday ahead of a meeting with several European leaders, saying that “When it comes to security, there’s going to be a lot of help… they are the first line of defense,” the President said in reference to the European allies he later met with.
On Monday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it rejects “any scenarios involving the deployment of NATO military contingents in Ukraine,” directly criticizing the United Kingdom and “certain European Nations” for suggesting such peace-keeping forces.
The U.K. and others have previously committed to sending troops to Ukraine should it be necessary as part of a peace deal. On Tuesday British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that meetings on Monday resulted in breakthroughs for security guarantees without directly mentioning any sort of peace-keeping force.
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