President Donald Trump on Tuesday reportedly offered a clear assurance that U.S. forces will not be deployed to defend Ukraine’s border with Russia as part of any peace settlement, underscoring his position that America should avoid being drawn into another overseas war.
During a phone interview on Fox & Friends, co-host Charles Hurt asked Trump directly, “What kind of assurances do you feel like you have that going forward, and past this Trump administration, it won’t be American boots on the ground defending that border?”
Trump replied, “Well, you have my assurance — and I’m president. I’m just trying to stop people from being killed.”
The comment marked one of Trump’s clearest public statements on his approach to the conflict, which has raged since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Unlike the Biden administration, which sought to deepen U.S. involvement through military aid and expanded NATO coordination, Trump has emphasized that his priority is preventing further bloodshed while avoiding direct American military entanglement.
Earlier in the interview, Trump noted that European nations may be willing to put troops on the ground as part of a potential security arrangement. “We’ve got the European nations, and they’ll front-load it, and they’ll have, some of them … they want to have, you know, boots on the ground,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be a problem, to be honest with you. I think Putin is tired, I think they’re all tired of it. But, you never know.”
Trump’s remarks came one day after he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and top European leaders at the White House for discussions on a potential end to the war.
The talks focused on long-term security assurances for Kyiv and measures to deter future Russian aggression, though the specifics of any agreement remain unclear. Zelensky expressed hope that the details could be finalized within 10 days.
As part of his broader strategy, Trump has definitively ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine as a condition of any peace deal.
That position reflects his longstanding skepticism of expanding U.S. defense commitments through the alliance, a skepticism that has resonated with conservatives wary of open-ended foreign entanglements.
For Trump, the issue is framed not as a geopolitical chess match but as a matter of national interest and restraint.
His assertion that “I’m just trying to stop people from being killed” highlights a central theme of his foreign policy: reducing American exposure to costly wars while pressing European allies to shoulder more responsibility for security in their own region.
Whether Russia will accept a European-led security presence as part of a settlement remains uncertain. Trump, however, signaled confidence that both Moscow and Kyiv may be ready for resolution. “I think Putin is tired, I think they’re all tired of it,” he said.
With negotiations ongoing, Trump’s refusal to commit U.S. troops sends a signal both to allies and to adversaries: the United States, under his leadership, will prioritize diplomacy and European responsibility over American boots on the ground.
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