FT: Security guarantees for Ukraine — the US ready to provide intelligence capabilities and coordination of combat operations

The US states that it is ready to provide intelligence capabilities, coordinate combat operations, and participate in the European air defense system in any Western security mechanism for Ukraine.

This is reported by the Financial Times (FT), citing four European and Ukrainian officials familiar with the negotiations.

The US President Donald Trump said at a White House meeting on August 18 that the US would be involved in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. Since then, senior US officials have said in numerous conversations with

European counterparts that Washington is ready to provide “strategic capabilities”, including intelligence, command and control systems, and air defense capabilities, to support any European contingent on the ground.

The “Coalition of the Willing”, led by Britain and France, has pledged to defend postwar Ukraine from any future Russian aggression. But European officials privately acknowledge that any deployment would only be possible with US support.

The American proposal, announced during a series of meetings between national security advisers and military leaders from the United States and leading European countries, depends on whether European capitals agree to send tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine. It could still be withdrawn.

The United States remains opposed to sending its own troops to Ukraine. Some in the Trump administration, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, are skeptical of any involvement in post-war guarantees, fearing it could drag the United States into a new war.

A preliminary plan has been outlined for the Western Country. It includes:

• a demilitarized zone that could be patrolled by neutral peacekeeping forces from a third country agreed upon by Ukraine and Russia;
• a much stronger line of defense behind the demilitarized zone. It could be held by Ukrainian troops, armed and trained by the NATO troops;
• a third line of defense, where European deterrent forces would be located. It involves US logistical support.

However, even with possible US support, the public and politicians in many European countries remain concerned about the prospects of sending troops to Ukraine.

Security guarantees for Ukraine

At the talks in Washington involving Trump, Zelensky, and a number of European leaders on August 18, the issue of Ukrainian security guarantees was key. In particular, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that the parties would begin by considering guarantees similar to those in Article 5 of the NATO Charter.

After the meeting, Trump wrote that the parties discussed what guarantees various European countries would provide under US coordination.

Zelensky reported a package of Ukrainian proposals for the purchase of American weapons worth $90 billion — they should become part of security guarantees.

Later, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that after the war, Ukraine would have the right to conclude security agreements not only with the United States and European countries. Washington is currently working on this.

The WSJ also reported that Rubio could lead a working group that would draft security guarantees for Ukraine. The group would consist of national security advisers and NATO representatives. The security guarantees would include the following components: military presence, air defense, armaments, and monitoring of the cessation of hostilities.

Bloomberg sources also reported that about 10 countries are ready to send their forces to Ukraine as a security guarantee within the framework of a future peace agreement. In particular, the United Kingdom and France are ready to send hundreds of their soldiers, who will be stationed in Ukraine, but away from the front.

And Donald Trump stated on August 20 that Washington is ready to provide air support to Ukraine if a potential peace agreement with Russia is concluded.

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