US And European Military Chiefs Finalise Ukraine Security Options: What Lies Ahead?

Last Updated:August 21, 2025, 20:55 IST

Russia-Ukraine War: US and European military chiefs met in Washington to draft options for Ukraine, including troop deployment and air support.

US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Zelenskyy at White House (Reuters Image)

Military chiefs from the United States and several European countries have drawn up military options for Ukraine, with plans now set to be presented to national security advisers, the US military said. The development follows US President Donald Trump’s pledge earlier this week to provide security guarantees for Kyiv under any agreement to end Russia’s war.

Meetings between defence chiefs from the US, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Ukraine were held in Washington from Tuesday to Thursday. In a statement, the US military said the proposals “will be presented to each nation’s respective national security advisers for appropriate consideration in ongoing diplomatic efforts."

Officials have cautioned, as per Reuters, that any plan would take time to finalise and would need to be both militarily realistic and acceptable to Moscow.

One option discussed is deploying European troops to Ukraine under US command and control while another possibility could involve US air support, ranging from supplying more air defence systems to enforcing a no-fly zone with American fighter jets, as per the report. Donald Trump earlier ruled out sending US ground forces, but this week appeared to leave the door open to other forms of military involvement.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have both spoken in favour of deploying troops as part of a “coalition of the willing" once hostilities end. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also suggested his government is open to participation.

Russia’s foreign ministry has rejected the idea of NATO troops entering Ukraine under any peace deal. Moscow continues to describe the conflict as a “special military operation" aimed at defending its security against NATO expansion, while Kyiv and its Western allies say it is an unprovoked invasion to seize territory.

Despite diplomatic manoeuvring, fighting continued as Russian forces struck a gas compressor station in eastern Ukraine, a key site for storing gas ahead of the winter heating season.

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Ukraine

First Published:

August 21, 2025, 20:55 IST

News world US And European Military Chiefs Finalise Ukraine Security Options: What Lies Ahead?

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