The U.S. media reported that President Donald Trump assured on Tuesday that the U.S. military would not be sent to help defend Ukraine from Russia's "aggression," after apparently leaving this possibility open the day before.

Trump also said in a morning television interview that the hope of Ukraine joining NATO and regaining the Crimean Peninsula from Russia is "impossible."

Republican President Trump, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, and other European leaders held lengthy talks at the White House on Monday to end the war in Ukraine. When answering journalists' questions, Trump did not rule out sending U.S. troops to participate in Europe-led efforts to defend Ukraine, as part of Zelenskyy's quest for security guarantees.

After meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, Trump stated that Putin was open to ideas about Ukraine's security guarantees.

However, on Tuesday during an appearance on Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends," when asked what guarantees he could provide that the U.S. military would not be involved in defending Ukraine's borders, Trump said, "Well, you have my assurance, I am the president."

After Trump's term ends in January 2029, he will no longer have control over the U.S. military.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized later that evening that "the American boots will not be on the ground" as part of any potential peacekeeping mission.

President Trump also said in the interview that he is optimistic about being able to reach a deal to end Russia's invasion, but he emphasized that Ukraine would have to set aside its hopes of reclaiming Crimea, which was seized by Russian forces in 2014, and its long-term desire to join the NATO military alliance.

"Both things are impossible," Trump said.

As part of any potential agreement to withdraw troops from Ukraine, Putin is seeking for the Ukrainian army to withdraw from the Donbas region and recognize Crimea as Russian territory.

Trump said on Monday that he is arranging direct meetings between Putin and Zelenskyy.

But the Kremlin has yet to reveal whether Putin, who has previously refused calls from Trump and others for direct negotiations to end the war, is committed to meeting with Ukrainian leaders face-to-face.

When asked if Putin had promised Trump that he would meet directly with Ukrainian leaders, Leavitt gave an affirmative answer. "He did," Leavitt said about Putin.

Trump said earlier on Monday, during his meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders, that he was urging Zelenskyy, Putin, and himself to hold a three-way meeting.

But after speaking with Putin later that day, Trump said he was first arranging a face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, and would hold a three-way meeting if necessary.

"This was an idea that emerged during the conversation the president had yesterday with President Putin, President Zelenskyy, and European leaders," Leavitt explained.

But when discussing the phone call following Trump's meeting with the Russian leader, Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov did not indicate that a bilateral or trilateral meeting with Ukraine had been agreed upon.

Trump said he believes Putin's course of action will become clear in the coming weeks.

"I think Putin is tired," Trump said. "I think they're all tired. But you never know. We'll find out about President Putin in the next few weeks. I can tell you."

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840919496145920/

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