ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, July 16 — U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out any deployment of American troops to the front lines in Ukraine, emphasizing that Washington’s role will remain limited to supplying weapons through indirect channels.
“We will not have troops on the ground in Ukraine’s combat zone,” Trump told reporters during a press briefing at Andrews Air Force Base, as broadcast by C-SPAN.
While reiterating his commitment to arming Kyiv, Trump clarified that the cost of future arms deliveries would be covered by European allies.
According to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, newly agreed U.S. weapons for Ukraine will first be delivered to European depots, rather than directly to Ukrainian territory. This shift is meant to streamline logistics and reduce the visibility of direct American involvement.
The deal places particular emphasis on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. Deliveries of Patriot air defense missiles have already begun under the new arrangement.
Trump elaborated on the structure of the agreement:
“They’re coming from Germany, and Berlin will then replenish them. In every case, the United States will be fully reimbursed,” he said.
This marks a new phase in Western military support for Ukraine, one shaped by burden-sharing among NATO allies and a recalibrated U.S. stance that aims to avoid direct confrontation with Russia, while still sustaining Ukraine’s defensive capacity.
