Pentagon official signals minimal US role in Ukraine security guarantees

A Pentagon official said the US plans to play a “minimal” role regarding Ukraine’s security.

The remarks from Pentagon Under Secretary for Policy Elbridge Colby came in response to questions from European military leaders during a meeting chaired by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine.

Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Finland’s defense ministers pressed the US to clarify how many troops and air assets it would provide to help Ukraine sustain a peace agreement with Russia, according to a European official and another person briefed on the discussions who spoke to POLITICO.

According to six American and European officials, this meeting on Wednesday, along with another hastily arranged meeting of NATO leaders, has heightened allies’ concerns that President Donald Trump will rely on Europe to ensure long-term peace after the war ends.

“The reality is emerging that Europe will be the one to implement this on the ground. The US is not fully committed to anything,” said a NATO diplomat briefed on the talks.

On Monday, Trump said he was prepared to send US troops to Ukraine, but he walked back the statement on Tuesday, implying instead that he was open to providing air support for European troops in Ukraine.

“I don’t know where this leaves us. We are almost back to where we were in the spring with the coalition of the willing,” said one European official.

US allies in Europe are wary of Colby, who POLITICO reported in June had formed a close alliance with Caine.

This year, Colby reviewed US ammunition stockpiles, a review that led Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to briefly freeze US military aid to Ukraine in July.

Colby has long pushed for European allies to do more to defend the continent against Russia. His participation in the talks could indicate a more challenging path for Europe in securing security support from the US.

“Under Secretary Colby participated in last night’s meeting to convey guidance from President Trump and Secretary Hegseth regarding security guarantees for Ukraine, as we support the president’s historic efforts to end this tragic conflict,” said Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson in a statement. “In the meeting, Under Secretary Colby focused on ensuring the discussions reflected President Trump’s statements on the issue.”

Some European officials warned that this week’s meetings are just the beginning of a series of complex negotiations and bargaining, with Europe facing a potentially large and costly effort to maintain peace.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who attended the White House meeting, briefed the 32 NATO members in Brussels on Wednesday about the talks and began to outline the security guarantees, according to a NATO official. The defense ministers of the NATO countries were expected to hold a more detailed video conference later in the day.

Another NATO official said that alliance members hope to prepare actionable plans to present to their political leaders, adding, “While diplomacy proceeds in parallel, military planning in Europe is being adjusted for all scenarios.”

The White House has proposed Budapest as a potential venue for talks between Zelenskyy and Putin—a likely next step in the peace process—but few officials believe progress will be as rapid as Trump insists.

“The main takeaway here is that the peace agreement is not moving very quickly,” said one European official.