Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the possibility of deploying US troops in Ukraine is being discussed with US President Donald Trump as part of security guarantees. He made the remarks while answering journalists’ questions following his meeting with Trump.
According to Zelenskyy, decisions on deploying US forces are made by Washington, but Ukraine is interested in such a step and is discussing it both with Trump and with representatives of the “Coalition of the Willing.” He stressed that a US troop presence would be a strong element of security guarantees.
Zelenskyy also said that a possible visit by Donald Trump to Ukraine would make it possible to count on a ceasefire. He noted that it would be preferable for Trump to arrive directly in Ukraine rather than stopping in Poland, adding that Kyiv is ready to host the US president at any time. Zelenskyy said the issue of elections was hardly discussed during talks in Florida, as he has already stated his readiness to hold them.
Air defense was another key topic during the talks. Zelenskyy said Trump promised to help Ukraine with air defense systems, including Patriots. He added that Ukraine is ready to purchase all necessary equipment under the PURL program and asked the US side only to speed up the process.
Zelenskyy also said Trump views Ukraine’s economic recovery as task number one. According to him, the sides are preparing a package of documents titled “Prosperous Ukraine,” aimed at restoring jobs, bringing people back and increasing incomes. The president said Trump wants to triple the average salary in Ukraine.
He added that Ukraine needs significant funding at the initial stage of reconstruction so that people return to jobs and decent wages. According to Zelenskyy, the White House wants to achieve prosperity for Ukrainians with the involvement of American business, for which special conditions will be created in Ukraine. Similar conditions are also planned for European companies.