European leaders returned from a damage control mission to the White House on Tuesday, relieved that President Donald Trump had agreed to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. The move comes as tensions between Russia and Ukraine remain high.
The agreement is seen as a significant step forward in efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. However, experts warn that securing post-war Ukraine will be no simple task. European leaders acknowledged that securing a role for NATO countries in bolstering Kyiv’s defenses would be crucial to any settlement.
Trump said he would not send American troops to Ukraine but suggested the United States would offer support to European nations that do. The conversation about security guarantees sets up a potential collision course with the Kremlin, which has warned against “uncontrolled escalation.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated Russia’s rejections of any role for forces from NATO countries in Ukraine. However, some analysts believe Putin may be in a precarious position if a U.S.-backed European force is deployed to bolster Kyiv.
A summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin could happen “within two weeks,” according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump and his team have been trying to avoid drawing the ire of Russia, but leaders from France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Finland, the European Union, and NATO attended a crisis meeting with Zelensky.
Ukraine’s chief European backers still diverged on some points with Trump, but they seemed acutely aware that Trump could surprise them again. Many struck a note of caution on negotiations, saying that any settlement will have to provide a bulwark against future attacks.
The U.S. pledge of security guarantees is seen as an achievement by Ukrainian officials, who believe it would be difficult for Moscow to accept in a deal. However, some experts warn that Russia could still seek to stall or reject the guarantees.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/08/19/europe-ukraine-russia-trump-peace-security-guarantees