Rubio to lead Ukraine security guarantees talks, with Trump promising air support

Senior officials from the U.S., Ukraine and several European countries are expected to work in the coming days on a detailed proposal for security guarantees for Ukraine, likely involving U.S. air power, two sources with knowledge of the discussions tell Axios. Why it matters: U.S. and European security guarantees are a key Ukrainian demand. After months of refusing to discuss the issue, President Trump has come around to the idea of U.S. involvement in such a scheme.In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump stressed there will be no U.S. boots on the ground but said he is open to providing American military air support to any European military forces stationed in Ukraine.Trump also said he thought Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept U.S.-European security guarantees for Ukraine, "but we will know in the next few weeks." The Kremlin has long opposed any such scheme on Ukrainian territory.The other side: As security guarantees were being discussed at the White House, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it "categorically" rejects the possibility of "a military contingent with the participation of NATO countries" inside Ukraine.Putin said during his summit with Trump that was willing to discuss the principle of security guarantees, a source told Axios, but he mentioned China as one of the potential guarantors. Behind the scenes: Security guarantees were a key topic in Trump's meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seven other European leaders on Monday at the White House. "Trump and Zelensky spoke in general terms about what was needed regarding security guarantees but didn't go into specifics," a Ukrainian official said. Trump agreed with the European leaders to work together on an "Article 5-like" security guarantees, but when it came to a U.S. role he was "not precise," a European official said. NATO's Article 5 commits the alliance to mutually defend a member who comes under attack.What he is saying: Trump told Fox News that Ukraine won't be part of NATO, but stressed that European countries are willing to have boots on the ground outside the NATO framework. Trump said he's ready to give U.S. security assurances to Ukraine without committing U.S. troops. "We will help by air," Trump said. What to watch: Two sources with knowledge of the issue said a joint U.S.,-European-Ukrainian commission was formed to draft a proposal for security guarantees. The commission is headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with national security advisers from Ukraine and European countries also participating in the discussions."In the coming days everyone are going to be working from sunrise till dark on the security guarantees. Maybe by the end of the week will have some clear architecture," a Ukrainian official said.The big picture: While a European security force on Ukrainian soil might be the toughest Ukrainian demand for Putin to accept, territorial concessions are likely the most difficult issue for Zelensky to navigate.During his meeting with Trump, Zelensky said he's willing to discuss territorial issues, but stressed that they needed to be negotiated between him and Putin, a Ukrainian official said. The official claimed Trump agreed. When Trump called Putin on Monday evening, he told the Russian president he will have to meet directly with Zelensky to discuss his territorial demands and urged him to be "realistic."What to watch: There is still no date or location for such a meeting. Trump and the European leaders agreed it needs to happen by the end of August, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that full preparations would have to be made at working levels before the leaders could sit down together.

Comments

World news

ICE deports 6-year-old girl and her mom to Ecuador as New York officials blast Trump: ‘Where is your humanity?’

Independent

Trump blares ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ and shows off umbrella flown from Mar-a-Lago in bonkers tour of White House Rose Garden

about 4 hours ago

Three children - all under the age of three - led cops to scene of parents’ murder-suicide while looking for food

Independent

Comments

Similar News

Marco Rubio Offers An Unconvincing Defense Of Trump’s Putin Summit

Rubio defends State Dept halting Gaza visas after Laura Loomer takes victory lap for their cancellation

Marco Rubio confronted by news anchor over past opposition to ‘deal’ with Putin

Secretary of State Marco Rubio blasts ‘stupid media narrative’ of Zelensky being bullied by Trump

Rubio says peace agreement "a long ways off" after Putin summit

Rubio says both Russia and Ukraine ‘have to make concessions’ for peace deal

Rubio recasts long-held beliefs with cuts to U.S. human rights reports

Rubio dodges question about running in 2028 and says Vance would make a ‘great’ White House contender

U.S. Will Join Thailand-Cambodia Cease-Fire Talks, Rubio Says

Marco Rubio says France’s recognition of Palestinian state is ‘slap in the face for 7 October victims’

The evolution of Marco Rubio

Rubio revokes visa for Brazilian judge who went after Trump’s buddy Bolsonaro

World news

ICE deports 6-year-old girl and her mom to Ecuador as New York officials blast Trump: ‘Where is your humanity?’

Pope Leo to live in Vatican ‘flatshare’ when he moves into papal apartments

Police investigate death of French online star who died during livestream after ‘10 days of torture’

Service dog reunited with blind owner two months after being stolen from Chicago backyard

Russian foreign minister warns West over excluding Moscow from Ukraine security discussions

Hurricane Erin gusts shut down East Coast beaches and swimmers from Carolinas to NYC to Cape Cod

Voters likely to back Reeves’s ‘mansion tax’ on homes above £1.5m, pollsters say

How to Halt the Flow of Weapons Arming Mexican Cartels

Trump's war on the Fed is escalating

Japan proposes 'economic zone' linking Indian Ocean to Africa, seeks greater role in the region

Myanmar's military retakes a strategic town 2 years after the resistance captured it

‘On behalf of the Islamic State’: Security video shows terror attack on Surrey bus

Brit found dead on cruise ship docked in Italy as fellow passengers try to save him

Bakery fan, 22, nearly throws up after realising what's in cheese and bacon roll

Denmark scraps book tax to fight 'reading crisis'

German controversy surrounds jail term for transgender far-right extremist

Tulsi Gabbard revokes security clearances of 37 US intelligence officials

Watch: Fire rages at Milan airport check-in desk

Monsoon Rains Bring Mumbai to a Standstill

Italians Pay Final Respects to Pippo Baudo, Their ‘King of Television’

Lost everything in a storm? Good luck. FEMA to require email address for aid as families rebuild after disasters

California resident tests positive for plague after camping near Lake Tahoe

The Latest: Texas GOP poised to approve map gerrymandered for their advantage

Moment 11-year-old girl learns she’s getting a new heart after almost a year of waiting

Israel gives final approval for controversial settlement plan

Dr. Phil sued by Christian broadcaster for ‘reprehensible conduct’ in $500 million deal: ‘Years-long fraudulent scheme’

Kid Rock hits back with lewd insult after Newsom mocks him with Trump-style post

US Navy ship USS New Orleans catches fire while docked in Japan

Jeanine Pirro will let people carry shotguns and rifles in DC - despite Trump’s crackdown - without fear of prosecution

‘We need to find him’: Family claims cops took five hours to respond when they reported their child missing

Where could Putin and Zelensky meet for Ukraine war summit?

Costco members sound off as Pepsi-to-Coke switch begins nationwide

ICE ‘used popular chain hotel’ to detain migrants despite company pledging not to participate

RFK Jr. finally reveals why he wears jeans to the gym

Building explodes after hit-and-run driver strikes gas line in dramatic video

Trump demands Lisa Cook, first black woman Fed Reserve member, ‘resign, now!!!’ and accuses her of mortgage fraud

Trump set to bar college graduates from debt relief program if employers undermine ‘American values’

Trump blares ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ and shows off umbrella flown from Mar-a-Lago in bonkers tour of White House Rose Garden

Three children - all under the age of three - led cops to scene of parents’ murder-suicide while looking for food

The nine holiday hotspots with current cases of deadly ‘suitcase viruses’

Putin's top diplomat warns of 'road to nowhere' in Ukraine security talks

Woman ‘threatened with rape and dragged to basement by police’ in Serbia protests

GCSE students could be ‘turned away’ from sixth forms unless they get top grades

I don’t want to go on holiday – I’m too worried about my tomatoes

Congo's draft peace deal with M23 seeks to return government control to rebel-held areas

China's Xi makes a rare visit to Tibet to mark 60 years of contested rule there

Lawyer for activist Jimmy Lai defends free speech in landmark Hong Kong trial

Manitoba RCMP say same man suspected in pair of Richer-area break-ins

Gavin Newsom not ‘surprised’ by GOP lawsuit to block redistricting plan

‘America we are BACK!’ White House launches official TikTok account

HHS workers accuse RFK Jr. of stoking violence against them

Voyeurism added to lengthy list of charges for Winnipeg man: police

Horror moment 'killer' dogs attack as residents hit out over string of maulings

Meredith Kercher’s family lawyer slams Amanda Knox over new Disney murder drama

Gavin Newsom is expertly trolling Fox News stars by mimicking Trump online — right down to the nicknames

What could US and European security guarantees look like for Ukraine?

Putin and Zelensky have only met once before – here’s what happened

An Italian funeral for a Palestinian woman evacuated from Gaza becomes a call to 'make noise'

Israel to call up 60,000 reservists ahead of Gaza City move

Archaeologists discover 1,400 year old Christian cross on Abu Dhabi island