President Donald Trump has defined the U.S. commitment to Ukraine’s security as one of “helping” but not leading, placing the primary responsibility squarely on European nations. This was his message after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The phone conversation with Putin occurred after Trump’s August 18 White House meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, where the focus was on long-term security.
“We will be involved from the standpoint of backup to help them,” Trump said, carefully choosing his words to signal a supportive, rather than primary, role for the United States in any future security arrangement.
This policy is being pursued alongside a separate dialogue with Russia on strategic arms. Trump revealed that during an August 15 meeting in Alaska, he and Putin discussed the possibility of reducing their nuclear stockpiles once the Ukraine conflict is resolved.