Trump insists Putin will honour peace deal with Ukraine, refuses to commit to US forces on ground

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Feb 27) insisted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin would honour a peace deal for Ukraine, suggesting the US having a multibillion dollar stake in Kyiv's rare earths sector would serve as a deterrent against future Russian aggression.

During a high-profile meeting at the White House with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the US president expressed confidence that Putin would not violate any agreement, which could involve restoring as much as possible the Ukrainian territory seized during the three-year conflict.

However, while Trump spoke optimistically about peace prospects, he stopped short of committing to deploying US troops to support a European-led peacekeeping force, though he assured that Washington would "always" support Britain's military if necessary.

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Starmer pushes Trump for security assurances for Ukraine

The meeting took place amid heightened European security concerns, with Trump's administration forging closer ties with Russia, disrupting the long-standing transatlantic consensus on Ukraine.

Just 24 hours ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the US, Starmer pressed Trump on security assurances for Kyiv.

Following their discussions, Starmer stated: "We've discussed a plan today to reach a peace that is tough and fair. That Ukraine will help shape. That's backed by strength to stop Putin coming back for more".

He also stated that the UK was ready to "put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal."

"Working together with our allies, because that is the only way that peace will last," he added.

Trump on Putin

Trump downplayed concerns about future Russian aggression, maintaining that securing an agreement was the hard part while sustaining peace would be "the easy part." Rather than offering firm military commitments, he argued that US investments in Ukraine's rare earths sector would act as a sufficient deterrent.

"We'll be working there. We'll have a lot of people working and so, in that sense, it's very good. It's a backstop, you could say," Trump said. "I don't think anybody's going to play around if we're there with a lot of workers and having to do with rare earths and other things which we need for our country."

On the prospect of Russia returning occupied territory, Trump remained vague: "We will certainly try and get as much as we can back."

Disagreeing with Starmer's assessment that security guarantees were necessary to prevent future invasions, Trump asserted: "I don't think so. I think when we have a deal, it's going to be the deal."

Referring to his relations with the Russian President, Trump added: "I think he'll keep his word. I've known him for a long time now, and I think he will. I don't believe he's going to violate his word. I don't think he'll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now."

Trump reaffirmed his commitment to NATO's collective defence principle. "I support it. I don't think we're gonna have any reason for it. I think we're going to have a very successful peace."

(With inputs from agencies)