As diplomats work towards a peace summit, the term “security guarantees” has become a central part of the conversation about Ukraine’s future. But what these guarantees might actually entail is a complex issue being debated in Washington and among NATO allies, with the U.S. now floating concrete, albeit limited, options.
Historically, security guarantees can range from mutual defense pacts, like NATO’s Article 5, to less formal pledges of support. For Ukraine, a key goal is to secure a commitment that is more robust than the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which failed to prevent the current conflict.
The United States has begun to define the potential American contribution to such a guarantee. President Trump has drawn a clear line: no deployment of U.S. ground troops. This removes the possibility of a full, NATO-style defense pact involving American soldiers.
In its place, Trump has offered a different model: U.S. air support. This represents a significant, tangible commitment of American military power without the political and logistical challenges of deploying ground forces. The White House’s confirmation that this is an “option” suggests it is a core component of the U.S. vision for guaranteeing a lasting peace for Ukraine.