No U.S. Boots On The Ground In Ukraine, Trump Pledges

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that there would be no American troops on the ground in Ukraine under his watch.

Trump made the comments in an interview on “Fox and Friends” as he recapped his Monday meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump added that European nations like France, Germany, and the U.K. might have boots on the ground in Ukraine at some point.

“You have my assurance — and I’m president. I’m just trying to stop people from being killed,” Trump said when asked by Fox News host Charles Hurt if he would confirm that American soldiers would not be used to defend Ukraine. “Look, they’re losing from five to seven thousand people a week.” 

“What kind of assurances do you feel like you have that… it won’t be American boots on the ground defending that border [in Ukraine]?” @POTUS: “You have my assurance — and I’m President. I’m just trying to stop people from being killed.” pic.twitter.com/mzmYxtK0HJ

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 19, 2025

That vow came after Trump declined on Monday to rule out the possibility that American troops would be in Ukraine as part of a security guarantee. 

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Trump said during the same interview that he initially thought the Ukraine-Russia War would be” one of the easier” conflicts to end, but that it has turned out to be the “most difficult” to resolve. He said Putin needed to cooperate, and that Zelensky would have to show some “flexibility.”

After the White House meetings, Trump said that Putin and Zelensky would meet in the coming weeks. Following that discussion, Trump said he would meet with both leaders to attempt to negotiate an end to the war. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will be coordinating the meetings with Russia and Ukraine, Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday night. 

Trump also recapped his “very good” phone call with Putin, telling “Fox and Friends” that he pressed the Russian dictator to come to the table with Zelensky.

“I told him that we’re going to set up a meeting with President Zelensky, and you and he will meet, and then after that meeting, if everything works out OK, I’ll meet and we’ll wrap it up,” he said. “It takes, in this case, two to tango. They have to have somewhat of a relationship, otherwise we’re just wasting a lot of time.”

Trump joked that ending the war might be his ticket through the pearly gates.

“If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed…I want to try and 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,” he said.