President Donald Trump is effectively telling European leaders that the buck now stops with them regarding Ukraine’s security. This directive, which recasts the U.S. in a supporting role, was recently shared with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s position was made clear during an August 18 conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials. It was in this meeting that he articulated his vision of a Europe-led security framework before discussing it with the Kremlin.
The central pillar of this new policy is the expectation that European nations will provide the “significant security guarantees” for Kyiv. Trump has defined the new U.S. posture as that of a “backup,” ready to assist but not to lead.
This development is part of a wider strategic engagement with Moscow. Trump has also spoken of a long-term vision discussed with Putin, including at an August 15 meeting in Alaska, which involves the potential for reducing their nuclear stockpiles after the Ukraine conflict is resolved.