European nations are working on Europe security guarantees to protect Ukraine from Russia. But former U.S. President Donald Trump has made it clear that the U.S. will not help. The big question is: Can Europe do it alone?
Over the weekend, European leaders met in London to discuss a plan to end the war in Ukraine. They also promised to find ways to guarantee Ukraine’s security, as the country has been fighting a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022.
This meeting happened shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s difficult visit to the White House. During his visit, U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized him for not accepting their plan for peace with Russia, which had no conditions to protect Ukraine.
Trump has made it clear that the U.S. will not guarantee Ukraine’s security. Instead, he wants Europe’s military to take the lead.
Last week, in meetings with Trump in Washington, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said they are open to sending troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers—but only if a deal is made to end the war with Russia.
But can Europe really protect Ukraine without U.S. support? How strong is Europe’s military? How much does it depend on the U.S.? And how big is the threat from Russia? The U.S. has played a major role in Europe’s security since the end of World War II.
It helped create NATO and sent hundreds of thousands of soldiers to Europe security to counter Soviet influence. Over the years, the U.S. has remained the main security leader while also growing as a global superpower.
As of July 2024, the U.S. had around 65,000 soldiers permanently stationed in Europe, along with important weapons, defense systems, and other military equipment needed for NATO.
This includes six weapons stockpiles with tanks and armored vehicles, eight air force units, four navy destroyers, and about 100 nuclear bombs. The U.S. also has around 10,000 troops rotating in Poland, a key NATO area near Russia.
The U.S. spends a huge amount of money on its military. In 2024, its defense budget was $860 billion. This is more than double the total defense spending of all other NATO countries combined. NATO members have an agreement to protect each other if any one of them is attacked.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the U.S. has given the most military aid to Ukraine. According to the U.S. Department of State, it has sent about $65 billion in weapons and other military help.
Europe Security at a Crossroads: Can It Protect Ukraine Without America?
In total, when including all types of aid, the U.S. had given around $183 billion to Ukraine by September 30, 2024, according to a U.S. government website that tracks this support.
The European Union has also helped Ukraine, providing a total of $141 billion in aid. This includes $51 billion in military support, according to the European Commission.
Trump has said that the U.S. should step back from military involvement in Europe and that European countries should take on more responsibility. For more detail visit “ Donald Trump and Bitcoin“.
On February 12, Trump’s Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, told NATO allies that the U.S. can no longer focus mainly on Europe’s security. He said, “European allies must lead from the front.”
Russia has a large military, with at least 1.32 million active soldiers. Hundreds of thousands of them are fighting in Ukraine.
Before the war, Russia had about 12,000 soldiers in Kaliningrad, a small area between Poland and Lithuania, both NATO countries. However, most of these troops were later sent to fight in Ukraine.
