Rubio reiterates Trump's support for Ukraine, calls for European leadership

Rubio reiterates Trump's support for Ukraine, calls for European leadership

In a recent conversation with European counterparts, security adviser Marco Rubio, who also serves as President Donald Trump's acting national security adviser, said the US will provide post-war security guarantees for Ukraine. But he stressed that Europe should take the lead, according to a European diplomat familiar with the call.

Security guarantees for Ukraine

During the call with Europe's national security advisers, Rubio did not provide specific details about the specific security guarantees the U.S. might consider, the diplomat said. The conversation, which was confirmed by an administration official, comes at a crucial time when Europe hopes for continued engagement from the Trump administration. President Trump is pushing for peace between Ukraine and Russia as negotiations gain momentum among allies over how to prevent future attacks from Moscow.

Role security and military cooperation

The US has signaled that it would be willing to play a limited role in providing security guarantees to Ukraine if a peace deal with Russia is reached. This could potentially include the use of U.S. pilots in manned air support missions, sources familiar with the discussions with the allies said. Although Trump has ruled out deploying US troops on the ground, the US and its allies are exploring a variety of other options.

The Europeans have told U.S. officials that they want the U.S. to continue providing military intelligence and surveillance. This was also addressed directly on Monday when several European leaders visited the White House. While Trump appeared receptive in this conversation, he made no specific promise.

International meetings on the security situation

Thursday's call included national security advisers from NATO, the European Union, France, the United Kingdom, Finland, Italy and Germany. On Wednesday, the chairman of the United States and other influential military leaders from European nations met to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. At the meeting, the plans surrounding US participation were described as crucial for future security guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump had emphasized that the US would be involved in Ukraine's security issue, with Europe forming the "first line of defense". An official familiar with Wednesday's meetings said the statement about U.S. involvement "changed everything" in planning for Ukraine's security guarantees.

Zelensky and the future of security guarantees

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said on Wednesday that Kiev can expect clarity within the next two weeks on what security guarantees the allies would provide in the event of a peace deal. He noted that 30 countries are willing to provide security guarantees, but these do not all include military support. Some countries have committed only to providing financial support or imposing economic sanctions on Moscow in the event of another attack.

Zelensky emphasized that with his commitment to participate in security guarantees, Trump has increased the confidence of other countries that were previously insecure. In particular, he highlighted Turkey as a partner now ready to support security in the Black Sea. Nevertheless, Russia said it could not accept any security guarantees that did not include veto power for Moscow - a condition unacceptable to Kiev.