Donald Trump implied yesterday, Tuesday, that the US is ready to use air force to support a European security force in Ukraine, but has ruled out the possibility of developing US terrestrial troops.

According to Wall Steet Journal, after the summit of the Trump With Putin in Alaska, the US president has commissioned the Chief of the National Defense General Staff and Air Force General Dan Kane to propose options for NATO -press security guarantees, according to a Western official.

Kane was to meet on Tuesday with Armed Forces leaders from countries attending the White House meeting on Ukraine, including those of Britain, France, Germany and Finland, two Western officials said. The purpose of the meeting is to find the best possible options for political leaders, one of the officials said.

It is expected to be briefed on Wednesday’s wider NATO defense officers via a teleconference, according to a senior NATO military officer.

However, the planned force faces a number of significant diplomatic challenges.

While Trump has said he expects Putin to accept the presence of Western troops in Ukraine, Russia has opposed the idea of sending troops to Ukraine by NATO member states.

“We reiterate our position that we are denying any scenarios that provide for the development of a military extract in Ukraine with the participation of NATO states,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zaharova said Tuesday. Such a step, he said, could lead to a “uncontrolled escalation of the conflict with unpredictable consequences”.

Trump did not specify how the US Air Force could provide support to a European land force – either by warplanes, air defense systems or drones, for example.

“In terms of security, they are willing to send people to the ground,” Trump said during an interview with Fox, referring to Europeans. “We are willing to help them in different things, especially if we are talking about airline, because no one has what we have, in fact they don’t have.”

The Pentagon could develop outside Ukraine aircraft to protect European troops, including fighter aircraft to assist European forces in the event of an attack or surveillance drones to monitor any peace agreement. The US could also carry European troops and equipment to their transport aircraft, provide terrestrial air defense systems to European forces and contribute military information.

European governments, led by the United Kingdom and France, have been pressing on Washington for months to support the power it may develop in Ukraine after a ceasefire.

European nations are cautious about sending their forces to Ukraine without the assurance that US forces could intervene in the event of an attack.

In a sign that NATO members are concerned about possible Moscow military movements, the North Atlantic Alliance said on Tuesday that its military forces, including air defense systems, were on guard when Russian aircraft were launched.

In its announcement, the Alliance said the move was made due to concern that Russian missiles would enter Poland’s airspace. As it turned out, there were no Russian violations of the Polish airspace.

After meeting the White House with leading European leaders, US Secretary of State Mark Rubio was appointed head of the US -Europe -European Joint Committeewhich will draw up the final plan for security guarantees. These guarantees could include a promise of supporting Ukraine under Article 5 of NATO, which stipulates that an attack on a member of the Alliance should be considered an attack on everything.

Without a reliable US security guarantee, “it is difficult to imagine how to effectively prevent Russia,” says James Black, deputy director at the Think Tank Rand Europe. Defining the role of the US is aimed at giving countries such as Germany and Italy more encouragement to participate in any force that may be developed in Ukraine.

The plan for the mission was drawn up by British and French shortly before Trump was re -elected. It became more urgent after Zelenski’s clash with Trump at the Oval Office in February. Initially, Europeans were planning to develop up to 30,000 troops on the spot. But Trump showed little interest in US involvement and many European nations, including Germany and Italy, hesitated to send troops.

The United Kingdom and France then began to discuss a smaller force consisting of a few thousand soldiers away from the front line. The troops would support the Ukrainian army and act as a deterrent to possible Russian aggression.

European forces will probably not be close to any Russian-Ukrainian border if a peace agreement is reached. They could be placed in strategic sites, such as airports and military centers, that could be attacked.

French officials have said that Paris could develop 3,000 to 5,000 troops in Ukraine.

UK and French army officers went to Ukraine in April to examine the choices. Britain is likely to focus on providing air support, as its army has declined significantly in recent decades.