Politico: Macron fails to secure US security guarantees for Ukraine during Washington visit

French President Emmanuel Macron left the White House this week without securing concrete American security guarantees for Ukraine, European Union officials and diplomats revealed.

Despite the urgency of the matter, President Donald Trump remained ambiguous on the issue during their meeting, leaving European leaders frustrated and uncertain, Caliber.Az reports via Politico.

On the morning of February 26, Macron briefed EU leaders in a hastily arranged 30-minute video conference, where he expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome of his talks in Washington. An EU diplomat quoted Macron saying, “Trump did not give any clear promises regarding the backstop. So, indeed, strategic ambiguity on this question remains.”

The lack of clarity surrounding U.S. support for Ukraine comes as both the U.S. and Russia continue negotiations aimed at ending the war—negotiations that exclude Kyiv and Europe. Meanwhile, capitals such as Paris and London are exploring the possibility of establishing a peacekeeping mission for Ukraine, should an agreement be reached.

One of the most pressing concerns is the need for security guarantees to prevent further Russian aggression. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are both set to visit Washington this week, with the shared objective of securing military pledges from the U.S.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, Trump remained firm on his position, refusing to offer clear security guarantees. In a Cabinet meeting following his talks with Macron, Trump stated, “I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much. We’re going to have Europe do that, because ... Europe is their next-door neighbour, but we’re going to make sure everything goes well.”

While the U.S. has made it clear that no American troops would be deployed in Ukraine, European leaders are still hoping for some level of U.S. involvement. Specifically, they seek support in intelligence gathering, air defence, and military transportation. However, one senior EU official, who participated in the briefing, was less than optimistic, saying, “This was a waste of time.”

Another diplomat added, “We as Europe are in this rather alone now,” highlighting the growing divide between European expectations and U.S. actions.

In the absence of clear U.S. guarantees, European leaders continue to push for greater coordination on defence and security. Starmer, who is scheduled to meet Trump on February 27, recently stated, “There must be a ‘U.S. backstop’ after a peace deal is signed to deter Russia.” Meanwhile, Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, travelled to Paris on February 26 to follow up on Macron’s discussions with Trump.

The lack of clarity from the U.S. has left European leaders scrambling to formulate a unified response. A meeting is scheduled for March 2 in London, where Starmer will meet with EU leaders to discuss joint plans for defence and security. This will be followed by a European Council meeting on March 6 to further discuss the issue.

At the EU’s regular Wednesday meetings, ambassadors discussed what a lasting peace for Ukraine would look like and what security guarantees the EU could provide. There was also talk of appointing an EU special representative to take part in peace talks on behalf of the bloc. However, according to three diplomats, there was little enthusiasm for the proposal among the ambassadors.

Despite these discussions, Trump has shown no interest in involving Europeans in his talks with Russia. According to one EU diplomat, “Trump has shown no interest in letting any Europeans take part in the talks he is holding with Russia.”

By Vugar Khalilov