U.S. unwilling to send air defense to protect European forces in post-war Ukraine
This was reported to Bloomberg by sources familiar with the matter, Ukrinform saw.
According to the agency’s interlocutors, who wished to remain anonymous, European allies concluded during discussions with their American counterparts that President Donald Trump would not provide the guarantees they sought to support the European-led "Coalition of the Willing."
The publication notes that the U.S. reluctance to ensure support sought by European partners highlights the differences between Western allies on how to respond to Russian aggression in Ukraine. European officials said deterrence requires U.S. guarantees, along with a strong Ukrainian military, increased training, and allied forces.
At the same time, the sources noted that, while their expectations for potential U.S. assistance for post-war Ukraine have diminished, the UK and France still expect the United States to continue providing intelligence and surveillance along the border between Ukraine and Russia. Some European officials also hope that Trump will intervene if British and French troops are attacked by Russia in Ukraine, but they believe he is unlikely to give such a guarantee in writing, one of the interlocutors said.
According to another source, European governments have adjusted their assessment of what is needed to deter Russia. They believe a combination of Ukrainian military, allied training, European troops and aircraft deployed on NATO’s eastern flank, and patrols in the Black Sea will be sufficient. They also noted that the UK and France have completed a plan on where these troops will be based and how they will operate, but have frozen the draft plan until ceasefire talks resume.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on the United States to provide a security mechanism for any future European peacekeepers in Ukraine, adding that only this will ensure Kyiv a lasting peace rather than a temporary ceasefire with Russia.
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