President Donald Trump is actively engineering a new security order for Eastern Europe, one that transfers the primary responsibility for Ukraine’s defense from Washington to Brussels. This bold proposal has been communicated to both Vladimir Putin and European leaders.
Trump’s vision for a European-led security structure was a central topic of his recent phone call with the Russian president. This followed a crucial meeting on August 18 where he presented the concept to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his European counterparts, setting the stage for the new arrangement.
The core tenet of this policy is that the “significant security guarantees” for Ukraine must now be underwritten by Europe. Trump has been unambiguous about the shift, telling reporters that the United States will now function as a “backup,” supporting the initiatives led by its European allies.
This regional security adjustment is part of a wider conversation Trump is pursuing with Moscow. He revealed that a meeting in Alaska on August 15 touched upon the monumental goal of reducing American and Russian nuclear arsenals, a long-term objective linked to the resolution of the Ukraine conflict.