Military chiefs from the United States and several European allies have presented a range of security options for Ukraine to their national security advisers, in line with President Donald Trump’s pledge to back Kyiv under any deal to end Russia’s 3½-year war, officials said on Thursday.
The Pentagon confirmed that U.S. and European planners had drawn up proposals for “appropriate consideration” by allied national security teams. The discussions followed a three-day meeting in Washington involving the chiefs of defense from the U.S., Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
According to sources, U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio convened a conference call with European counterparts to review the plans. Participants included UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, senior aides to the European Commission president, NATO Secretary General’s office, and senior officials from France, Germany, Italy, and Finland.
While the final structure of the guarantees is still under discussion, sources indicated that European countries would provide “the lion’s share” of any troop deployment or costs, echoing Vice President JD Vance’s recent remarks that Europe must shoulder most of the burden.
Options under review include deploying European forces to Ukraine under U.S.-led command and control, with Washington potentially offering air support. Such support could range from supplying additional air defense systems to enforcing a no-fly zone using U.S. fighter jets.
French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have both expressed support for troop deployments, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has signaled openness to contributing forces. However, Germany’s soldiers’ union cautioned that maintaining a long-term peace force could require tens of thousands of troops.
Trump has ruled out sending U.S. ground troops to Ukraine but has not dismissed other forms of military involvement. He has repeatedly pressed for a swift resolution to what has become Europe’s deadliest conflict in 80 years, raising concerns in Kyiv and among its allies that Washington could pressure Ukraine into accepting a settlement favorable to Moscow.
“The planning work continues,” a source familiar with the talks said. “Washington is still determining the scope of its role.”
Written By Rodney Mbua
