No U.S. Boots On The Ground In Ukraine, Trump Pledges
President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that no American soldiers will be deployed on the ground in Ukraine during his administration, reaffirming his stance that the United States should not be dragged into another foreign war.
Speaking on “Fox and Friends,” Trump recapped his Monday meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He emphasized that while European allies such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom may eventually commit troops to Ukraine, the U.S. will not.
“You have my assurance — and I’m president. I’m just trying to stop people from being killed,” Trump said when pressed to confirm the pledge. “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
The comments came after questions arose on Monday about whether U.S. forces could be part of a future security guarantee. Trump dismissed the idea, making clear his focus is on diplomacy, not military escalation.
Trump admitted he once thought the Ukraine-Russia conflict would be “one of the easier” wars to settle, but has since found it to be the “most difficult.” He stressed that peace requires compromise, noting that Putin must cooperate and Zelensky must show “flexibility.”
Plans are now in motion for Putin and Zelensky to meet in the coming weeks. Following that encounter, Trump said he will personally meet with both leaders to attempt to finalize an agreement. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been tasked with coordinating the process.
Trump also described his recent call with Putin, saying he urged the Russian leader to meet directly with Zelensky before Trump joins the talks. “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 explained.
In a lighter aside, Trump joked that brokering peace could help him with divine judgment. “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.