00:00We've heard phrases like coalition of the willing.
00:02We've also heard Article 5-like guarantees.
00:05When it comes to the security guarantees, what is the current status of that?
00:10I know the President earlier today mentioned boots on the ground would be UK, France, Germany
00:15possibly, but unequivocally said no US troops on the ground, but US coordination.
00:20Can you elaborate on that and what would the red lines be?
00:23Sure.
00:24Well, you got to the heart of what I was going to say to all of you today on security guarantees,
00:28which is the President has definitively stated U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine.
00:33But we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security
00:37guarantees to our European allies.
00:39The President understands security guarantees are crucially important to ensure a lasting
00:44peace.
00:45And he has directed his national security team to coordinate with our friends in Europe
00:49and also to continue to cooperate and discuss these matters with Ukraine and Russia as well.
00:54Now, have the Russians responded at all?
00:57I know he spoke with President Putin last night.
00:59What has been their response?
01:00Because we've heard some reports from the Kremlin and others saying they're unequivocally
01:04against NATO troops on the ground.
01:06Well, look, the President continues to have these conversations with both leaders.
01:10Those conversations took place in Anchorage, Alaska again yesterday with the Europeans and
01:15President Zelensky.
01:16And he has directed his team to come up with a framework for these security guarantees that
01:21can be acceptable to help ensure a lasting peace and end this war.
01:24Heading into Alaska, a lot of the focus in the talk was on this trilateral meeting between
01:28these three leaders.
01:29Can you explain how this went from a trilateral meeting involving President Trump to now the
01:33focus being on this bilateral meeting without the President first?
01:36Well, look, the President has spoken to both leaders about this.
01:40And both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other.
01:44And so our national security team will help both countries do that.
01:48Ultimately, the President has always said that there are areas of disagreement in this war that
01:53will have to be discussed and decided upon by these two countries.
01:56And so he wants these two countries to engage in direct diplomacy.
02:00He said that from the very beginning, which is why he's agreeable to the idea of having
02:05President Zelensky and President Putin get together.
02:07And I understand accommodations for that meeting are underway.
02:10As soon as we hear more details, we'll be sure to let all of you know.
02:13Just a quick follow up.
02:14We know as of right now, there is no ceasefire in place.
02:16We've seen Russia continue its attacks on Ukraine.
02:20What indications is the President getting from Putin that he wants to have this meeting with
02:25Zelensky soon?
02:27Because he spoke to him directly yesterday.
02:28And he expressed that to you rather than later.
02:30Haley, he spoke to that directly yesterday.
02:32And the President put that in his statement that he gave to all of you, the news media,
02:36knowing you'd be asking following that conversation in the effort of transparency.
02:39You made clear no U.S. boots on the ground.
02:42Is the President considering U.S. boots in the air as a form of a security guarantee?
02:46Look, that was something the President mentioned on his interview this morning.
02:50It is an option and a possibility.
02:52I won't certainly rule out anything as far as
02:55military options that the President has at his disposal.
02:57I'll let him do that.
02:59I can tell you he's definitively ruled out boots on the ground.
03:02No boots on the ground.
03:04Steve Whitcroft's talking about Article 5-like security guarantees.
03:08Can you talk about what other Article 5-like security guarantees
03:13that are being considered if it's not boots on the ground?
03:15These are very sensitive diplomatic discussions that are currently taking place,
03:19literally, as we speak.
03:20So I will leave it to the national security team and I'll leave it to the President to
03:24have those private discussions with these leaders as we try to bring this war to an end.
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