Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the statements from U.S. President Donald Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 28 during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington that security guarantees for Ukraine would be Europe's responsibility.
"I know that France is going to (provide guarantees), I know the U.K. is going to… But we would have security in a different form. We would have workers there… digging," Trump said, as the two leaders prepared to sign a framework deal on Ukraine's natural resources.
Trump positioned himself as a neutral mediator in the negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
"I am in the middle; I am for both Ukraine and Russia. I want to get it (Russia's war against Ukraine) solved," he added.
Zelensky has repeatedly emphasized that security guarantees are essential to any agreement with Washington. The deal to be signed on Feb. 28 does not include explicit security commitments from the U.S., leaving those discussions for future negotiations.
The issue of security guarantees has been linked to the potential deployment of a European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Washington has backed the idea, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying on Feb. 12 that such a mission should exclude U.S. troops.
France, the U.K., and several other European nations have expressed support for deploying peacekeepers, though a consensus has not yet been reached.
The Washington Post reported on Feb. 17 that up to 30,000 European troops could be sent to Ukraine to monitor a ceasefire.
Zelensky's visit to Washington followed weeks of tense negotiations, during which Ukraine rejected two earlier U.S. draft proposals, arguing they placed one-sided obligations on Kyiv without security commitments from Washington.
The final agreement establishes a fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure.
Trump had previously lashed out at Zelensky over his reluctance to sign the initial draft, accusing him of being a "dictator" and repeating Kremlin-backed narratives about his legitimacy.
As the U.S. and Ukrainian teams made progress on the deal, the final version of which was obtained by the Kyiv Independent, Trump softened his rhetoric, seemingly retracting his earlier statements.
"Did I say that? I can't believe I would say that," Trump said during a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Feb. 27 when asked by a journalist whether he still considers Zelensky a "dictator."
Oleksiy Sorokin
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