President Donald Trump is sending a clear message to both Moscow and Brussels about a new security order for Ukraine, one where Europe takes the primary role and the U.S. provides support. This message was reinforced in a recent call with Vladimir Putin.
The call with the Russian leader came after Trump had solidified his position in an August 18 meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials.
The core of Trump’s message is that Europe must provide the “significant security guarantees” for Ukraine. The role of the United States, he explained to reporters, will be to serve as “backup.”
This vision for regional security is part of a broader dialogue Trump is having with Putin. He revealed that an August 15 meeting in Alaska included talks on the long-term strategic goal of reducing their nuclear arsenals after the Ukraine conflict.