European countries want President Trump to deploy US fighter jets to Romania as part of US security guarantees to end the war in Ukraine, the "Times" newspaper, quoted by BNR, claims.
Senior European military leaders are discussing the deployment of US F-35 fighter jets to Romania, where NATO is building its largest air base in Europe, to deter Russia from another invasion, the publication writes.
On Monday, Trump ruled out deploying US warplanes on the ground in Ukraine, but said he was ready to provide "air support" as part of the security guarantees. Military leaders are currently discussing the logistics of American support in Washington.
NATO is now conducting air missions to ensure security over the Black Sea from the "Mihail Kogalniceanu" air base in Romania, which was a hub for American forces during the Iraq war and is the most likely location for American aircraft, the "Times" said. In addition to the American fighter jets based in Romania, European countries are seeking guarantees for the continued use of American GPS and reconnaissance satellites in Ukraine. They are also seeking a U.S. commitment to supply Ukraine with "Patriot" anti-aircraft missiles. and systems to counter Russian attacks, as well as permission for flights of spy planes over the Black Sea.
Russia said it must be part of any discussions on guarantees for Ukraine's security and downplayed the likelihood of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky soon, dashing hopes for a quick peace agreement, the agencies quoted by BTA reported.
Against this backdrop, NATO defense chiefs held a videoconference on security guarantees, another in the intensified global diplomacy to end the conflict that has been raging for over three and a half years.
"As for Ukraine, we have reaffirmed our support. The priority remains the conclusion of a just, reliable and lasting peace," wrote the chairman of the alliance's Military Committee, Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, in Ex.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that holding "serious discussions on security guarantees without Russia is utopia, a road to nowhere".