European leaders convened in London over the weekend and announced their commitment to develop a strategy aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine. This meeting followed a contentious visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House, where he faced criticism from US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance for his resistance to a proposed unconditional peace deal with Russia. Trump has stated that the US will not provide security guarantees for Ukraine, instead urging European military forces to assume this responsibility.
During meetings in Washington with Trump, both French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed openness to deploying troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers, should a peace agreement be reached with Russia. However, there are concerns about Europe’s capacity to provide meaningful security guarantees without US support and questions regarding Europe’s true security capabilities, its reliance on American assistance, and the threat posed by Russia.
The US has played a pivotal role in European security since World War II, establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and deploying substantial military forces across Europe to counter Soviet influence. As of July 2024, the US maintains approximately 65,000 active-duty soldiers in Europe, along with extensive weaponry, defense systems, and other critical assets. The US defense budget of $860 billion in 2024 significantly exceeds the combined budgets of all other NATO members.
The European Union has provided $141 billion in aid to Ukraine since the invasion, including $51 billion in military assistance. Despite this support, Trump has argued that it is time for the US to reduce its military presence in Europe and has urged allies to take on more responsibility. European states are feeling pressured to increase their defense spending in response.
Europe’s NATO allies collectively have 2 million active-duty soldiers, with France and Germany leading with the largest forces. Together, they possess significant military assets, including aircraft, tanks, ships, and aircraft carriers. However, there are concerns that NATO’s ability to deter threats would be diminished without US military reinforcement.
Russia views NATO’s eastward expansion as a justification for its invasion of Ukraine and has called for Ukraine to be excluded from NATO. This expansion has led to Russia’s invasion and occupation of parts of neighboring countries. Meanwhile, Russia maintains a substantial military force, including over 1.3 million active-duty soldiers and various military assets.
In summary, European leaders are discussing a plan to end the war in Ukraine, but there are concerns about Europe’s ability to provide security guarantees without US support. The US has historically provided significant military and economic support to Europe, but there are calls for European nations to assume greater responsibility for their security.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/3/can-europe-guarantee-ukraines-security-without-the-us?traffic_source=rss
