President Donald Trump is championing a European-led security solution for Ukraine, a stance he reiterated after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The call was part of a broader sequence of diplomatic engagements.
Trump’s conversation with Putin took place after he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials at the White House on August 18. The meetings were convened to discuss the architecture of future security assurances for Kyiv.
According to Trump, the specifics of a security deal are not yet concrete, but the division of responsibility is becoming clearer in his view. He expects Europe to provide the main guarantees, with the United States offering support as “backup.”
Separately, Trump disclosed that his dialogue with Putin also covers long-term strategic issues. In an August 15 meeting in Alaska, the two leaders reportedly discussed the potential for reducing their nuclear arsenals after the Ukraine crisis is resolved.
