US President Donald Trump told the leaders of Ukraine and European countries that Washington is ready to provide Kiev with security guarantees, but with some conditions, Politico reports citing three sources. The online conversation took place on Wednesday, August 13, during which the participants tried to coordinate the positions of the United States and Europe before Trump's Friday summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
According to the newspaper's sources, the United States has expressed its readiness to play a role in providing Kiev with "means of deterrence" in the future if a ceasefire agreement is reached. At the same time, Trump stressed that he would undertake such a commitment only if these efforts were not carried out within the framework of NATO.
What exactly he means by security guarantees, the Republican did not specify, writes Politico. Earlier, he made it clear that the United States is not going to continue supplying American weapons directly to Ukraine, but European countries will pay for them through NATO, in accordance with the deal that Washington concluded with the alliance.
The fact that Trump supported the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine, including with the participation of the United States, was previously reported by CNN.
In the statement of the "Coalition of the Willing" (associations from more than 30 countries that admit their participation in a possible peacekeeping mission on Ukraine), which came out after a conversation with Zelensky and representatives of the United States, it is said that guarantees are necessary for Ukraine to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Members of the coalition opposed the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine or its Any restrictions were imposed on cooperation with third countries, and they added that Russia "cannot veto Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO."
Russia opposes Kiev's accession to NATO, the memorandum of the Russian side on the settlement provides, among other things, the establishment of the maximum number of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the neutrality of Ukraine. At the same time, the authorities do not object to the accession of a neighboring country to the EU. As for the guarantees, according to Putin, Ukraine can receive them only if Russia's security is ensured.