Donald Trump has proposed that Europe deploy forces to Ukraine to monitor a future ceasefire, seemingly aiming to shift much of the responsibility onto U.S. allies.
Preliminary ideas on President-elect Donald Trump’s approach to ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict began to emerge during his visit to Europe last week.
At a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on December 7, Trump stated that he does not support Ukraine’s NATO membership. However, he emphasized his desire to see a strong Ukraine, well-armed and moving toward a ceasefire.
The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed officials familiar with the matter, reported that Trump believes Europe should play the primary role in protecting and supporting Ukraine. He also proposed that "European troops be present in Ukraine" to oversee a ceasefire if Kyiv and Moscow reach an agreement. While not ruling out U.S. support for such efforts, Trump stressed that American troops would not be sent to Ukraine.
These are Trump’s clearest moves yet toward ending the nearly three-year-long conflict in Ukraine—an objective he has long declared but has yet to detail.
Trump’s aides had previously suggested various proposals to end the conflict, primarily urging Kyiv to abandon or delay its NATO aspirations and make territorial concessions or risk losing U.S. aid.
With this latest proposal, Trump appears to be shifting the entire responsibility for Ukraine’s security to its European allies across the Atlantic, despite previous U.S. commitments to support Kyiv "for as long as necessary." Discussions about deploying European troops to Ukraine remain in the early stages, with unresolved questions about which countries would participate, the number of troops involved, the U.S. role in supporting European forces, and whether Russia would accept a deal that includes NATO troops on Ukrainian soil.
European officials have begun discussing the idea, recognizing that ensuring Ukraine’s security may be challenging to rely on the U.S. during Trump’s presidency. Some European foreign ministers met in Berlin, Germany, on December 12 to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also invited leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to meet with Zelensky in Brussels to address the issue, according to two informed sources.
In an earlier interview with The Times of London, Trump expressed "strong opposition" to Ukraine using U.S.-supplied missiles to strike deep within Russian territory, calling it a "foolish decision." He warned that such actions escalate the conflict but emphasized leveraging U.S. support for Ukraine as a tool to end the war. "I want to reach a deal, and the only way to do that is by not abandoning them," he said.
In a Truth Social post following the Paris meeting, Trump emphasized the need for an "immediate ceasefire" and urged that "negotiations begin."
Any European force deployed to Ukraine would act as peacekeepers or ceasefire monitors rather than representing NATO, officials clarified. The Biden administration, several European nations, and Trump’s incoming administration all share a desire to avoid direct combat between NATO troops and Russian forces in Ukraine, fearing it could escalate into a global conflict. However, some observers worry that even if Russia accepts a ceasefire, it could use the pause to regroup and continue its campaign in Ukraine later.
Skepticism about deploying European troops to Ukraine persists. European governments may be reluctant to put their forces in positions where they could face direct confrontation if Russian troops violate the ceasefire. French officials noted that such an initiative would require some level of U.S. support, but it remains unclear whether the Trump administration would be willing to provide it.
Analysts also question whether European governments would receive sufficient domestic political support for deploying troops to Ukraine.
On December 12, Macron visited Poland to discuss the Ukraine conflict and security guarantees. In a subsequent press conference, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tuck stated that his country has no plans to send troops to Ukraine and will not be pressured to do so.
While Trump has pledged not to "abandon" Ukraine, many European leaders remain concerned that the incoming U.S. administration may reduce aid to Kyiv. This would leave Europe bearing the full burden of supporting Ukraine.
Although Europe has provided more overall aid to Ukraine than the U.S., Washington’s military support is critical. With limited European weapon stockpiles, Ukraine heavily relies on U.S. arms to counter Russia.
European diplomats worry they may need to double their military aid to Ukraine if Trump cuts U.S. funding, facing potential backlash from domestic public opinion and challenges from right-wing populist parties opposing aid to Ukraine.
Zelensky has repeatedly stated that NATO membership is the only reliable security guarantee for Ukraine but acknowledged that it cannot happen until the conflict ends. In recent weeks, as Trump has pushed for a swift resolution, Zelensky has softened his stance and signaled openness to negotiations with Russia, provided Kyiv receives an invitation to join NATO.
Zelensky welcomed the proposal to deploy troops to Ukraine to ensure security. However, he stressed that Kyiv must know "when Ukraine will join the EU and NATO. Only such security guarantees will be truly effective."
(Sources: WSJ, The Guardian)
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