Trump dismisses Ukraine's NATO bid, cites peace prospects
The President of the USA, Donald Trump, ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. During a conference with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, he expressed hope for a lasting peace in Ukraine but emphasised that NATO's Article 5 would not apply in this case. Meanwhile, during her visit to Washington, Kaja Kallas, the head of European Union diplomacy, expressed the belief that NATO is the best security guarantee for Kyiv.
During the press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Donald Trump expressed his support for NATO's Article 5 but stated that it would not be necessary in Ukraine. The US President believes that lasting peace in the region can be achieved without the involvement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Trump emphasised that the USA's actions are changing the situation in Ukraine, and his goal is to prevent similar conflicts in Europe. He commented that NATO's involvement is unnecessary in this situation because, without implementing the alliance's procedures, it is possible to ensure "successful peace and a long-lasting peace."
Peace in Ukraine according to Trump. Without NATO's involvement
Prime Minister Starmer was willing to deploy British troops to Ukraine to secure lasting peace. He stressed the importance of European nations, including the United Kingdom, enhancing their commitments to security and defense to meet current challenges.
During the talks, Trump and Starmer discussed security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump suggested that the presence of American companies in Ukraine could be such a guarantee. On Friday, he is to sign an agreement with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky concerning the extraction of critical minerals.
Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the head of the EU's foreign affairs, stressed during her visit to Washington that NATO is the best security guarantee for Ukraine. Her statement came during President Donald Trump's talks with Vladimir Putin, which ruled out Ukraine's membership in the Alliance.
Kallas warned that European countries may not have the opportunity to contribute to a possible agreement regarding Ukraine if they are not invited to the negotiation table. She stressed that "the only existing security guarantee is NATO’s umbrella".
President Trump did not propose any alternative security assurances for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Instead, he suggested that NATO might be contributing to the current tensions. Kallas dismissed these claims as entirely unfounded, labeling them as Russian propaganda. She questioned why concessions should be made to Russia, given its actions in attacking Ukraine, annexing territory, and maintaining its occupation.
