FT Learns Of 'significant Shift' In US Aid Proposals For Ukraine
- 26.08.2025, 19:34
The U.S. may participate in the EU-led program to develop Ukraine's air defense.
The United States has said it is ready to provide resources for intelligence, surveillance, command and control under any Western security program for Ukraine after the cessation of hostilities, the Financial Times reported, citing sources. According to the newspaper's interlocutors, Washington may also take part in a European-led program to develop Ukraine's air defense system.
The initiative to provide Ukraine with security guarantees was earlier proposed by the so-called "coalition of the willing" - an association of countries that allow their participation in a possible peacekeeping mission on Ukrainian territory. However, in private conversations, European officials acknowledged that any deployment to Ukraine could only take place with the support of the US, which would provide protection for European troops, the FT writes.
The White House said last week that the US would help with coordination as part of the security guarantees, but there would be no US military in Ukraine. U.S. officials then confirmed to European counterparts that Washington was prepared to provide "strategic enablers" to support a European-led ground deployment. The sources warned that the proposal voiced by the US is directly contingent on European countries' commitments to deploy tens of thousands of troops in Ukraine.
FT notes that the US willingness to support European security forces signals a "significant shift" in the position of the Donald Trump administration, which had previously ruled out any involvement in Ukraine's defense after the cessation of hostilities. The decision, according to the publication, has heartened European officials, although they concede that it will never be implemented.
The FT's sources pointed out that Washington is already supplying Kiev with Patriot anti-aircraft missiles, but future support will include US aircraft, logistics and ground radars to support and enforce a no-fly zone and air shield for Europe-controlled Ukraine. The European initiative also envisions a demilitarized zone to be patrolled by peacekeeping troops from a third country as agreed upon by Ukraine and Russia.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would lead a group of national security advisers and NATO officials to develop security guarantees for Ukraine. According to the Journal's interlocutors, the guarantees for Kiev will include four components - military presence, air defense, armaments and control over the cessation of hostilities.