Around 10 European allies willing to send troops to Ukraine, talks accelerate on security guarantees, Bloomberg reports
A package of security guarantees for Ukraine could be finalized as soon as this week, with European leaders moving quickly after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled support for the plan, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 19.
The initiative envisions the deployment of European troops as part of a potential peace deal to deter further Russian aggression discussed during a White House summit on Aug. 18.
Talks among European officials the following day focused on proposals to send troops from the U.K and France to Ukraine, along with contingents from roughly 10 other countries, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Discussions included the size and positioning of the forces, though U.S. involvement in the guarantees remains uncertain.
“When it comes to security, they’re willing to put people on the ground,” Trump told Fox News. “We’re willing to help them with things, especially — probably you could talk about by air, because there’s nobody that has the kind of stuff we have, really they don’t have. But I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later emphasized that Trump understood the guarantees were "critically important to ensure a lasting peace."
European military chiefs are expected to meet U.S. counterparts in the coming days to coordinate what the British government described as "robust security guarantees and prepare for the deployment of a reassurance force if the hostilities ended." António Costa, president of the European Council, said the terms of the guarantees would be arranged "in the coming days, preferably this week."
While leaders hailed the White House meeting as a breakthrough, officials acknowledged doubts remain about whether any guarantees could persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin has rejected the prospect of NATO troops on Ukrainian soil, even as European allies weigh a broader plan that would combine training, reinforcements, and a multinational reassurance force with U.S. intelligence, border surveillance, and possibly air defense.
