Following a decisive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Donald Trump has informed Russian President Vladimir Putin of a new security paradigm for Ukraine. The plan calls for European nations to assume the primary role in guaranteeing the country’s security.
The sequence of events highlights Trump’s direct approach. First, on August 18, he met with Zelensky and European leaders to solidify his position and communicate his expectations. Subsequently, he engaged Putin by phone to convey the new U.S. stance on regional security responsibilities.
The essence of this new arrangement is that the burden of providing “significant security guarantees” to Kyiv will fall to Europe. Trump has publicly characterized the future American involvement as a “backup” role, fundamentally altering the dynamics of U.S. engagement in the region.
These developments are part of a broader strategic dialogue between the White House and the Kremlin. Trump mentioned that related talks, including a meeting in Alaska on August 15, are also addressing the post-conflict goal of reducing U.S. and Russian nuclear capabilities.
