President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would not provide security guarantees or NATO membership for Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky prepared for a visit to finalise an agreement on natural resources.
Trump, who has altered US foreign policy by engaging with Russia and advocating for a rapid resolution to the three-year conflict, asserted that European allies should take on the responsibility for Ukraine’s security.
While speaking to reporters during a cabinet meeting, Trump announced that Zelensky would arrive on Friday to sign the deal following significant US pressure to transfer rare earth materials essential in aerospace and other technological applications.
However, Trump dismissed the possibility of the United States offering more formal security assurances, which Kyiv has requested.
“It’s a great deal for Ukraine, too, because they get us over there,” Trump said.
“We’ll be on the land and, you know, in that way, it’s this sort of automatic security, because nobody’s going to be messing around with our people when we’re there,” Trump said.
When questioned about the compromises necessary to conclude the war, he excluded the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO, reiterating Russia’s position that this contention was a factor in its invasion.
“NATO – you can forget about,” Trump said. “I think that’s probably the reason the whole thing started.”
In contrast, former president Joe Biden has supported Ukraine’s eventual NATO membership but did not provide a specific timeline.
On Monday, the United States aligned with Russia in a United Nations resolution advocating for an end to the war while refraining from emphasising the territorial integrity of Ukraine, standing against almost all European allies.
French President Emmanuel Macron informed Trump on Monday that European nations would contemplate deploying troops to safeguard any agreement, yet emphasised that US backing was vital to ensure security.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is anticipated to convey a similar point when he meets with Trump on Thursday.
