President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are scheduled to meet at the White House today to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. The talks come as the US continues negotiations with Russia to end the three-year war in Ukraine.
Senior officials have indicated that the focus of the discussions will be on the modality of security guarantees, with an emphasis on ensuring that US military forces are not put in harm's way. The officials highlighted the importance of European allies in determining the defense capabilities needed to support Ukraine.
The scope of the assurances to be provided will depend on the resolution of the conflict. If a broad-based, consensual peace settlement is reached, a peacekeeping force may be deployed to maintain peace in the region.
President Trump has reiterated his stance on security guarantees, emphasizing that Europe should take the lead in providing such assurances. The US is expected to sign an economic partnership agreement with Ukraine on Friday, which does not include specific funding commitments for future war fighting or the deployment of US personnel in the region.
Officials praised the strong partnership between the US and UK, commending Starmer's announcement to increase defense spending to 2.5% of the UK's gross domestic product. The Trump administration expressed satisfaction with this commitment to bolstering defense capabilities.
The leaders are set to hold meetings at the White House followed by an afternoon press conference. The discussions precede a meeting between President Zelensky of Ukraine and President Trump, underscoring the importance of finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
