In a high-stakes powwow in Washington, D.C., defense chiefs from the U.S., Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the U.K., and Ukraine laid out a menu of military options to back Ukraine's security. 🤝🇺🇦
This brainstorming session comes on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump's promise to protect Ukraine in any endgame deal for its three-and-a-half-year conflict.
According to a Pentagon release, U.S. and European planners teamed up to craft these battle plans for "appropriate consideration" by national security advisers. And yes, Reuters got the scoop first! 📡
A key highlight? U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio – also moonlighting as Trump's national security adviser – hosted a cross-Atlantic conference call to hash out the details.
Here's the lowdown on what's on the table:
- Ground troops: European boots on the ground in Ukraine, but with U.S. handling command and control.
- Air support: Sending over air defense systems or even enforcing a no-fly zone using U.S. fighter jets.
European leaders like France's Emmanuel Macron, the U.K.'s Sir Keir Starmer, and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz are all game for a coalition-style troop deployment. 🇫🇷🇬🇧🇩🇪
With Europe set to shoulder the "lion's share" of any forces and costs, U.S. officials are still figuring out just how big Washington's role will be. As one insider put it: "The planning work continues."
Meanwhile, Trump has ruled out U.S. troop deployment on Ukrainian soil but hasn't closed the door on other support forms, especially in the skies.
As tensions simmer and plans firm up, the big question for global security? How fast can this coalition move to secure peace in Europe's most brutal conflict in decades. 🕊️
Reference(s):
U.S., European security advisers discuss Ukraine military options
cgtn.com
