U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped up efforts to broker peace. Following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, Trump held discussions on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. Trump made it clear that he favors moving directly toward a comprehensive peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire. During these talks, there was broad agreement that Kyiv should be provided with security guarantees to protect against future threats in exchange for peace.
Zelenskyy later confirmed that discussions on security guarantees will continue over the next 10 days, alongside negotiations with Russia. The Trump administration has tasked U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio with overseeing America’s role in ensuring Ukraine’s security.
Reports suggest that more than 30 countries are preparing to extend security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a “coalition of the willing.” These nations would provide direct support to Ukraine’s defense. The U.S., however, is expected to take on more of a supportive or guarantor role, rather than committing directly to Ukraine’s security, to avoid a direct clash with Moscow. For now, it remains unclear what exact form U.S. assistance would take.
As talks progress, key questions remain: how much security will European nations along Ukraine’s borders provide? What role will Trump personally play as mediator? How will Russia respond to the idea of international security guarantees for Ukraine? And what lessons can be drawn from past agreements of this kind?
