The United States joined a broad coalition of allies on Tuesday to pledge "binding" security guarantees for Ukraine, a move designed to deter future Russian aggression and secure a potential ceasefire.
The summit in Paris, held by the "coalition of the willing," signaled a significant shift in Washington’s involvement. For the first time, high-level U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner joined Europe’s top military commanders to hammer out protocols intended to defend Ukraine if a peace deal is reached.
Steve Witkoff, who has led recent talks with Moscow, told reporters that President Donald Trump "strongly stands behind" the new security protocols.
"These protocols are meant to deter and defend," Witkoff said during a joint press conference with European and Ukrainian leaders. "They are as strong as anyone has ever seen." Jared Kushner added that for Ukraine to sign a final peace deal, they require a "robust deterrence" and "real backstops" to ensure Russia does not invade a third time.
A central piece of the agreement is a U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism. According to officials, this will rely on high-tech "verification" tools rather than American infantry. The monitoring system is expected to Real-time ground monitoring, tracking troop movements from orbit and formal process to report and react to violations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the agreement a "signal of how seriously the coalition is ready to work," though he noted that specific funding and military support details still need to be finalized.
While the U.S. focuses on technology and intelligence, European nations are preparing a "Multinational Force for Ukraine." France and Britain signed a declaration of intent to deploy troops once a ceasefire is in place to help rebuild Ukraine’s military and secure its borders.
French President Emmanuel Macron suggested France could send thousands of troops, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the framework would allow partner forces to secure Ukraine’s "skies and seas."
Despite the show of unity, major hurdles remain. Moscow has not signaled it will accept a deal involving foreign troops or the specific guarantees sought by Kyiv.
Furthermore, the U.S. role in the final statement was slightly scaled back from earlier drafts, removing specific language about using American "capabilities" to support the multinational force. Nevertheless, European officials hailed the presence of Trump’s envoys as proof that Washington remains a "backstop" for European security.
