Dismisses Possibility of U.S. Troop Deployment in Fox News Interview
"We Can Discuss Air Support"
U.S.-Europe-Ukraine Tripartite Committee Discusses Security Guarantees
Budapest Considered as Venue for Tripartite Summit
On August 19 (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed that there would be no deployment of U.S. troops to Ukraine, even as he instructed his national security team to coordinate with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. Instead, he hinted at the possibility of providing air support. A security guarantee plan in which Europe stations troops in Ukraine while the United States provides advanced air defense systems is being strongly considered.
In an interview with Fox News that day, President Trump dismissed the possibility of deploying U.S. troops to defend Ukraine's borders, stating, "I am the president, and I can guarantee this," adding, "I am simply trying to prevent people from dying."
He said, "Europe is trying to deploy ground forces," and indicated that the United States is willing to support this. He went on to say, "We can particularly discuss the possibility of air support," emphasizing, "No other country has equipment like we do. Europe certainly does not." He did not specify any concrete plans for air support.
The White House confirmed the same position. White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt said at a briefing that day, "As the president has made clear, U.S. troops will not be stationed in Ukraine, but we can help coordinate with our European allies or provide security guarantees by other means," adding, "The president has instructed his national security team to cooperate with Europe."
In this regard, U.S. media outlet Axios reported that a trilateral committee comprising the United States, Europe, and Ukraine has been formed. Acting Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio is leading the committee, and national security advisors from Ukraine and European countries are set to engage in intensive discussions through the weekend.
On the same day, President Trump reiterated his firm opposition to Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), stating that it "will never happen." Instead, the United States is considering a collective defense-style security guarantee similar to Article 5 of the NATO Charter. This provision stipulates that an attack on one member state is considered an attack on the entire alliance, prompting a joint response.
Based on President Trump's remarks that day, it appears likely that the security guarantee plan will involve major European countries stationing troops in Ukraine, while the United States provides military support such as air defense. U.S. air support could include providing fighter jets, air defense systems, and reconnaissance drones. Options include deploying aircraft outside Ukraine to protect European forces, or sending fighter jets if European troops inside Ukraine come under attack. Providing information on ground-based air defense systems is also under consideration.
However, since Russia strongly opposes the stationing of NATO member troops within Ukraine, friction in the negotiation process appears inevitable. President Trump stated the previous day that Russian President Vladimir Putin had accepted the security guarantees for Ukraine, but the Russian side responded that it "categorically rejects any scenario in which NATO member forces are deployed in Ukraine." There are concerns that negotiations could stall even before discussions on territorial exchanges-the most challenging issue in the Russia-Ukraine peace agreement-begin.
President Trump is currently mediating peace talks between President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Following the U.S.-Russia summit on the 15th, he held consecutive meetings with President Zelensky and European leaders the previous day and is now working to arrange a future Russia-Ukraine summit. If an agreement is reached on territorial issues and other matters, the plan is to sign a peace agreement at a trilateral summit with President Trump participating.
On this day, President Trump stated, "I hope President Putin does well, and President Zelensky must also show some flexibility," adding, "If the talks go well, I will participate in the trilateral summit and bring the matter to a conclusion."
Budapest, Hungary, is being discussed as a possible venue for the trilateral summit. U.S. political media outlet Politico reported that the White House is considering Budapest as a leading candidate. However, given that Budapest was the site of the 1994 'Budapest Memorandum,' Ukraine is likely to avoid it. At that time, Ukraine agreed in Budapest to relinquish its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom, but these promises were not upheld following Russia's invasions in 2014 and 2022. Spokesperson Leavitt said regarding the location of the trilateral summit, "I will neither confirm nor deny it."
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