President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that U.S. troops will not be deployed to defend Ukraine against Russia. This assurance comes after he had previously left the door open to the possibility. In a morning interview, Trump declared that Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO and reclaim the Crimean Peninsula are "impossible."

Trump's comments followed extensive discussions at the White House on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. The talks aimed to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. During a press conference, Trump had not dismissed the idea of U.S. troops participating in a European-led initiative to support Ukraine, which Zelenskyy has sought as part of security guarantees.

After a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, Trump mentioned that Putin was receptive to the concept of security guarantees for Ukraine. However, when pressed on Fox News Channel’s "Fox & Friends" about whether he could guarantee that American troops would not be involved in defending Ukraine's borders, Trump responded, "Well, you have my assurance, and I’m president."

It is important to note that Trump will not have control over U.S. military decisions after his term ends in January 2029. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated later that day that "U.S. boots will not be on the ground" in any potential peacekeeping mission.

In the same interview, Trump expressed optimism about reaching a deal to end the Russian invasion. However, he emphasized that Ukraine must abandon its hopes of regaining Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, and its long-standing goal of joining NATO. "Both of those things are impossible," he stated.

As part of any potential agreement to withdraw Russian forces from Ukraine, Putin is reportedly seeking the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and recognition of Crimea as Russian territory. Trump mentioned that he is working to facilitate direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy, although the Kremlin has not confirmed Putin's willingness to meet with the Ukrainian leader.

Leavitt confirmed that Putin has indeed promised Trump he would meet directly with Zelenskyy. Trump initially proposed three-way talks involving himself, Zelenskyy, and Putin but later indicated that a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin would take precedence, with three-way discussions to follow if necessary.

Trump expressed his belief that Putin's intentions would become clearer in the coming weeks, stating, "I think Putin is tired of it. I think they’re all tired of it. But you never know. We’re going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks. That I can tell you."

The situation remains fluid as discussions continue regarding the future of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict with Russia.