US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) said that US President Donald Trump ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees.
Leavitt, during her press briefing, said that other options, however, remain open, including the skies.
Donald Trump Rejects Prospects of Sending US Army to Ukraine
“The president has definitively stated US boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, but we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies. The president understands that security guarantees are crucial to ensuring a lasting peace. He has directed his national security team to coordinate with our friends in Europe and also to continue to cooperate and discuss these matters with Ukraine and Russia as well,” she said.
Upon being asked if the US would provide ‘air’ as a security option, Leavitt said that it was a possibility.
“It is an option and a possibility. I certainly won’t rule out anything as far as military options that the president has at his disposal. I’ll let him do that. I can tell you he’s ruled out boots on the ground,” she said.
Upon being pressed for further details on the security guarantees for Ukraine, she said, “President Trump has directed his team to come up with a framework for these security guarantees that can be acceptable to help ensure a lasting peace and end this war,” she said.
Why Donald Trump Asked NATO to Fund Weapons Meant for Ukraine?
On being asked how US President Donald Trump guarantees the non-spending of the taxpayer money to Ukraine, Leavitt said that Trump proposed that NATO purchase the weapons for Ukraine.
“Well, the president is very sensitive to the needs of the American taxpayer. And immediately upon entering office back in January, he made it very clear that we’re not going to continue writing blank checks to fund a war very far away, which is why he came up with the very creative solution to have NATO purchase American weaponry, because it is the best in the world. And then to backfill the needs of the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people and their military. So that’s the solution the president has come up with. We’ll continue to see that forward. As for any additional sales, I’ll have to defer you to the Department of Defense,” she said.
(Inputs From ANI)
