DONALD Trump today ruled out American troops patrolling Ukraine — but said he was looking at air cover for European boots on the ground.
The US President publicly confirmed that Britain, France and Germany had committed manpower to police any deal with Russia but insisted his forces would play a back-seat role underwriting the peace.
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His comments came as the White House confirmed Mr Trump’s team was negotiating a one-on-one showdown between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.
Dashing Ukraine ambitions, Mr Trump warned the country “is not going to be a part of Nato”.
He said instead: “We’ve got the European nations, and they’ll front-load it. When it comes to security, the Europeans are willing to put people on the ground.
“We’re willing to help them with things — especially, probably, talk about by air, because there’s nobody who has the kind of stuff we have. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.”
The White House released a remarkable series of behind the scenes photographs of world leaders, including PM Sir Keir Starmer, negotiating plans for the so-called Coalition of the Willing of 30 nations signed up to protect Ukraine.
Mr Trump was snapped showing them a collection of MAGA caps, while, hours after the meeting a new portrait of the President, unsmiling and striding between lines of US flags was also unveiled.
The candid snaps of Monday’s summit also showed leaders studying a map of Ukraine in the Oval Office as they discussed Ukraine ceding territory to bring about an end to the war with Russia.
It was claimed leaders used the talks to convince Mr Trump to take a stand against the Kremlin’s demands to turn over all of the Donbas — comparing it to the US losing his beloved Florida.
And it was reported by the Wall Street Journal that they talked the President into supporting Ukraine keeping heavily fortified parts of the eastern region by describing it as a “bastion against the Huns”.
Speaking about the chances of a deal, Mr Trump said: “I think Putin is tired of it. I think they’re all tired of it.
“But you never know. We’re going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks.
“It’s possible he does not want to make a deal.”
He added: “I hope that President Putin will be good, and if he is not, it is going to be a rough situation and I hope President Zelensky is going to show flexibility as well.”
The Sun told how Mr Zelensky won concessions from Mr Trump after turning up for a White House summit in a suit — as opposed to the combat fatigues he wore when they rowed six months ago.
The White House did not deny claims Putin had suggested Moscow as a venue for face to face talks with Mr Zelensky.
But the Kremlin would not publicly confirm they had even agreed to sit down with the Ukrainians.
Russian Foreign minister Sertgai Lavrov said Moscow was “not rejecting any forms of work, neither bilateral nor trilateral” but said any talks would have to be “prepared extremely carefully”.
He did suggest they were open to meeting the Ukraine leader if it was prepared with the “utmost thoroughness”.
Mr Zelensky has reportedly rebuffed the offer from Putin to hold the meeting in Moscow.
However, Mr Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted Putin was signed up for a meeting — and that the US was actively involved in the organisation of it.
Geneva was being talked up as a more suitable location for the showdown.
Switzerland, which remained neutral during both World Wars, has promised immunity to the Russian despot despite an International Criminal Court warrant out for his arrest.
No knee bending is critical
By Harry Cole
AS the dust settles on that extraordinary White House gathering, what’s left beyond some of the most astonishing pictures of world leaders in living memory?
For Donald Trump’s blowhard critics, even trying to seek an end to the bloody war is a new low, but that does not do the significance of Monday’s meeting justice.
The President pledged to continue to underwrite the safety of Ukraine with American might, in a huge U-turn on his campaign vows to withdraw from the world stage.
Large swathes of his Maga base are going to hate that, but as British Ambassador Peter Mandelson said last night, Trump is a “President with an appetite for risk that is enviable”.
On territory — Ukraine is going to lose parts of the Donbas. Let’s not sugarcoat it.
For all the talk about “not redrawing borders by force”, that’s exactly what is going to happen.
Russia keeps 70 per cent of a region it’s already flattened.
But — and this is critical — Trump did not bend the knee to Moscow’s Mad Vlad demand for the entire Donbas. He stated publicly negotiations must mirror current front lines. That matters.
This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.
But here’s the bottom line: if this ends with US planes patrolling the skies over Europe and Russia is forced to scale back its ambitions, that is not a win for Putin.
And for Ukraine — beaten, bloodied, but still standing — it could be a far better deal than the disaster many feared.
Although it is a signatory to the court, the Alpine nation said it could get around its obligations to handcuff Putin because of Geneva’s role as the UN’s European HQ.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said: “We have always signalled our willingness, but it naturally depends on the will of the major powers.”
Both France and Italy have signalled their enthusiasm for Geneva as a host country.
Sir Keir Starmer chaired a virtual call of the pro-Ukraine Coalition of the Willing countries from Scotland, where he is on holiday.
Britain, France and Germany are all prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops in Ukraine in the event of a deal to end the war.
A No10 spokesman said: “The PM began by reflecting on the constructive meeting, saying it was clear there was a real sense of unity and shared goal of securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
At one awkward moment the PM was forced to tell other world leaders to “mute themselves” so he could speak.
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Meanwhile, despite the solidarity with President Zelensky, the Ukraine leader was told he would have to show “flexibility” in negotiations — even if some supporters back home want him to refuse to budge.
British ambassador to Washington Lord Mandelson said: “He may go back to Kyiv and find he doesn’t have the political support for the flexibility that he’s got to show in order to help bring this to an end.
“So we’ve got to continue making sure that what Zelensky can take back is cast-iron assurance, so that if he does show flexibility, Ukraine can be safe.”
European leaders continued to lavish praise on Mr Trump, with Emmanuel Macron saying his “unpredictability” was a handy trait.
The France President said: “I think we have changed President Trump since he arrived in power in January. We rose up, united as Europeans, and he took it into account. He also brought a fundamental asset dealing with Russia — his unpredictability.”
PREZ’S HEAVEN BID
DONALD Trump has said he believes it will help pave his way into heaven if he can find an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The US President told the Fox & Friends chat show yesterday: “I want to end it. You know, we’re not losing American lives, we’re not losing American soldiers.
“We’re losing Russia and Ukrainian, mostly soldiers. Some people, as missiles hit wrong spots or get lobbed into cities. But if I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s pretty — I want to try to get to heaven if possible.
“I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I hear I’m really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.”
DON’S HAT TRICK
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DONALD Trump shows Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron the real feather in his cap — a shelf full of MAGA memorabilia.
The US President was seen with a red “Four More Years” hat in the White House with the Ukraine and France leaders after the peace talks on Monday.
Trump previously flaunted the collection to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev last week.
