Posted on 08/21/2025 3:03:34 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Military chiefs from the United States and a number of European countries on Thursday presented options to their national security advisers for providing security guarantees to Ukraine, officials said.
This followed U.S. President Donald Trump's pledge to help protect the country under any deal to end Russia's 3-1/2-year-old war in Ukraine.
A Pentagon statement said U.S. and European planners had developed the military options for "appropriate consideration" by allied national security advisers. Reuters was first to report that the military leaders were preparing the options.
The chiefs of defense for the United States, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and Ukraine met in Washington, D.C., between Tuesday and Thursday.
A source familiar with the matter said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as Trump's national security adviser, held a conference call on Thursday with his European counterparts to discuss the options.
Final details must still be worked out, the source said, but European countries would provide "the lion's share" of any forces involved in security guarantees for Ukraine.
That echoed Vice President JD Vance's comment on Wednesday that Europe would need to shoulder "the lion's share" of the costs of the operation.
"The planning work continues," said the source, adding that Washington still was "determining the scope of its role."
Trump has said he will not deploy U.S. troops in Ukraine but has left the door open to other U.S. military involvement, including air support.
One option was sending European forces to Ukraine but putting the United States in charge of their command and control, sources have told Reuters.
U.S. air support could come in a variety of ways, including providing more air defense systems to Ukraine and enforcing a no-fly zone with U.S. fighter jets.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
How about providing security guarantees to Americans first? Our elections still aren’t secure.
“Russia’s three and a half year war in Ukraine.” No, NATO’s 11 year war against Russia.”
Options 1) Concede the annexed territory and remove all NATO presence from the country or 2) Lose everything east of the Dnieper river and, probably, Odessa and thousands more lives.
Russia said no.
Why are they still discussing this?
During the furor over the dramatic meetings last 2 weeks I noted that the Media were all missing what I thought was the key point.
The major figures and the media were all talking about the chances for a short term cessation of aggressive military action. Maybe a ceasefire, permanent peace possible, good stuff, dream stuff.
I was sitting back here in Virginia thinking that there isn’t going to be a lot of movement in the diplomatic side of this conflict until Trump assembles the leverage position that Biden so clearly lacked.
Get the Europeans together, raise the military contributions, get some troops in the field in Eastern Europe. Jawbone the press about incursions and outrages by Russia. Threaten Putin’s economy. Put some seriously scary weapons on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Then Putin says “No Mas”
Until then Putin’s better strategy is delay, and let the Ukrainians and the Trump administration, who both want and need peace push and beg with no hefty threats on their side of the discussions.
Getting the Europeans in the same room is a huge step in projecting Western power. If peace talks work, that’s great. If they fizzle then the Europeans can keep moving with the military and weaponry and economic isolation until Putin feels the damage to Russia’s long-term prospects.
Build the threats, for months if that’s what it takes, Then the talks will work.
Starmer and Macron will have to actually send troops to Ukraine.
But even if they wanted to, I don't think they have that capability.
They don’t have that capability yet. Until Putin sees that, he is going to slow-walk peace talks in hopes that the Ukrainians collapse.
If that capability starts to look like a part of a realistic European future, then Putin has a real problem and will be more interested in talking.
Trump got the first two steps underway- a budget increase and a continent-wide meeting with Trump. Visible troop activity in Easter Europe somewhere and scary weapons in the field in Ukraine are the next two steps.
They are both doable. It may take months, but doable.
I value American lives more than I value Zelensky’s reign.
Give Russia the entirety of East Ukraine, with Russia giving America sweetheart deals for natural resources. End all sanctions against Russia. End all offensive aid to Ukraine.
That would be the best outcome.
“Give Russia the entirety of East Ukraine, with Russia giving America sweetheart deals for natural resources.”
Are you sure Russia is going to be a good ally for the United States? The reason I ask is because in the past Russia hasn’t been too trustworthy.
Even today Putin strikes me as someone who is not above playing little games while thousands die.
During WWII, before Russia was forced to become a U.S. ally, they were buddies with the bad guys.
The Russian people are excellent allies for America, for Europe, and for Western Civilization against the gathering storm from dangerous areas that threatens to overwhelm the fields and farms of the North.
Western sanctions are driving Russia to China.
“The Russian people are excellent allies for America, for Europe, and for Western Civilization against the gathering storm from dangerous areas that threatens to overwhelm the fields and farms of the North.”
One of the problems with the Russian people is that they go to the polls and vote for people like Mr. Stalin and Mr. Putin.
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