Trump ready to commit to Ukraine only because he doesn’t expect Russia to reinvade

US President Donald Trump has said he is ready to assume commitments regarding US participation in future security guarantees for Ukraine because he believes that Russia will not attempt another invasion.

Trump was asked in an interview with Trump for The New York Times whether he would be willing to go to war to defend Ukraine if Russia were to violate the terms of any ceasefire and invade again. "I feel strongly they wouldn't re-invade, or I wouldn't agree to it [participation in security guarantees – ed.]," the US president said.

Asked about a potential peace agreement that would require the US and its allies to provide military support to Ukraine in the event of another invasion, Trump stressed that the US would play a secondary role in such a scenario.

"Let's put it this way: its [Ukraine's] allies, all of Europe, other countries that are going into it – and the United States," Trump said.

He also said he remains confident that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin wants to reach a deal to end the war. Meanwhile, Trump declined to specify how quickly he hopes to achieve an end to the war.

"I just don't want to be in a position to say that, because I have an obligation to see if I can save lives. We're doing the best we can. I don't have a timeline," Trump said.

He also said he was not prepared to promise an increase in US support for Ukraine if Putin continues to refuse a ceasefire.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that, following talks in Paris with the US side, the document on security guarantees is "effectively ready" to be agreed with Trump.

On 7 January, the Ukrainian delegation held meetings with the US team in Paris.

On 6 January, a Coalition of the Willing meeting took place in Paris with Zelenskyy attending in person. After the meeting, the president said that responses had been received on many aspects of European guarantees, including the deployment of a deterrent contingent.