Zelenskyy says talks with Trump underway on possible deployment of US troops in Ukraine

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that he is holding talks with US President Donald Trump on the possible deployment of American troops in Ukraine as part of security guarantees.

Speaking to journalists, Zelenskyy said any decision regarding the deployment of American forces would be made solely by the US leadership, noting that such troops would be under Washington’s authority.

He said discussions are ongoing with Trump as well as representatives of a broader coalition.

“This can be confirmed, to be honest, by the President of the United States of America. These are the troops of the United States, and that is why it is America that makes such decisions,” Zelenskyy was quoted by the Ukrinform news agency as saying. The issue is being discussed with US counterparts, he added.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine would like to see American troops on its territory as a security guarantee, describing such a move as a strong position in ensuring the country’s security.

The president's remarks come as Ukraine intensifies diplomatic coordination with Western partners. He announced that security advisers from the Coalition of the Willing are set to meet in Ukraine on Jan. 3 to align defense priorities, followed by leaders-level talks planned for Jan. 6 in France.

Zelenskyy said Kyiv is in constant contact with the US and thanked Trump's team for engaging in upcoming negotiations following his recent meeting with the US president in Florida and subsequent comments by Trump about Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the Ukrainian president later rejected in a US media interview, emphasizing Kyiv's need for continued American missile and air defense support.