On the 19th (local time), the White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump directed the national security team to work with Europe to establish a security guarantee system for Ukraine. However, he clearly drew the line on the possibility of deploying American ground troops. There is analysis suggesting that a diplomatic blueprint for ending the war in Ukraine under the Trump administration has emerged.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt noted during a briefing that "the president has made it clear that U.S. troops will not set foot on Ukrainian soil," but added, "We can coordinate efforts to secure European allies and provide other means of support." He continued, "The president understands that security guarantees are crucial for lasting peace" and instructed the national security team to work with European allies and continue discussions on this issue with Ukraine and Russia.
During the briefing, it was also confirmed that there is an initiative for a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Spokesperson Leavitt responded "Yes (He has)" when asked by a reporter whether President Putin had promised to meet President Zelensky directly within weeks. However, the Kremlin has yet to acknowledge the possibility of this meeting.
This upcoming bilateral meeting is the result of President Trump directly mediating. In an interview with Fox News, President Trump stated, "I thought the two should meet first" and mentioned, "If (the bilateral meeting) goes well, I will step in for a trilateral meeting to finalize it." He also described the urgency of the situation, recalling that during a meeting with European leaders at the White House the previous day, when one leader suggested, "Let's meet in a month or two," he immediately called President Putin, saying, "In a month or two, 40,000 more will die. This needs to happen tonight."
Budapest, Hungary, is being mentioned as a likely venue for the meeting. However, some media outlets pointed out that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his pro-Russian stance within the European Union (EU), might make it an uncomfortable location for President Zelensky. Spokesperson Leavitt stated regarding the Budapest venue speculation, "I will neither confirm nor deny the location." Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed Geneva, and the Swiss government had promised "immunity privileges" to President Putin, who has an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Meanwhile, President Trump made it clear that Europe should take the lead in guaranteeing Ukraine's security. He stated, "European countries should prepay (the expense of security guarantees)" and noted that "some, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, want to deploy ground troops." He ruled out Ukraine's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). While deploying ground troops is off the table, he left open the possibility of utilizing the overwhelming air power of the U.S. military for support. Spokesperson Leavitt confirmed that the "air support" mentioned by President Trump is "one option and possibility."
The push for peace negotiations began in earnest after President Trump held a summit with President Putin in Alaska last week. Following that, President Zelensky and European leaders were invited to the White House for a multilateral meeting, accelerating discussions on ending the war. This contrasts sharply with the tense atmosphere when President Zelensky left the White House earlier than scheduled after a public spate with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February. The diplomatic and security line of the Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, is fully mobilized to coordinate this meeting.