Yasin Gungor
19 August 2025•Update: 19 August 2025
ISTANBUL
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a commission with Ukrainian and European officials to develop comprehensive security guarantees for Ukraine, potentially featuring American air power, according to Axios on Tuesday.
Ukrainian and European national security advisers will join discussions to formulate an arrangement within the coming days.
The initiative stems from Monday's high-level White House discussions involving US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European figures, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Rubio also simultaneously holds the national security adviser role in the US.
White House clarifies US role
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump has ruled out American ground forces in Ukraine while outlining coordination support for allies. "We can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies," she said.
Leavitt emphasized Trump's commitment to lasting peace through security arrangements. "The president understands security guarantees are crucially important to ensure a lasting peace, and 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," she added.
Putin open to security guarantees
During his meeting with Trump in the US state of Alaska last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated a readiness to explore security assurance concepts, said Axios sources. Putin proposed China's inclusion as a possible guarantor nation.
While Trump and Zelenskyy addressed broad security guarantee themes, they avoided detailed discussions, a Ukrainian official told Axios. European leaders reached a consensus with Trump on establishing "Article 5-like" protections, although Trump provided limited clarity regarding America's involvement, according to a European official.
Ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine, Trump told Fox News that some European nations were planning to deploy their militaries as part of security guarantees to Kyiv. He said France, Germany and the UK "want to have boots on the ground" while the US may provide air support capabilities "because there is nobody (that) has the kind of stuff we have."
