Ukraine's leader calls for support as Trump's return opens 'new chapter'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said Donald Trump’s return to the White House would mark “a new chapter” and renewed his call for Western allies to send troops to help “force Russia to peace.”

Zelensky spoke at a meeting of about 50 allies at the U.S. air base in Ramstein, Germany. The gathering was the last of its kind before Trump takes office on Jan. 20, raising questions about the future of U.S. support for Kyiv.

“It’s clear that a new chapter starts for Europe and the entire world — just 11 days from now,” Zelensky said. “A time when we have to cooperate even more, rely on one another even more, and achieve even greater results together.”

“I see this as a time of opportunities,” he added.

Call for troop deployment

As the war approaches its three-year mark, Zelensky reiterated his appeal for Western allies to send troops to Ukraine.

“Our goal is to find as many instruments as possible to force Russia into peace,” he said. “I believe that such deployment of partners’ contingents is one of the best instruments.”

Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. has been Ukraine’s largest wartime backer, providing more than $65 billion in military aid since February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is embraced by U.S. President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, September 21, 2023. Reuters

On Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced an additional $500 million in military assistance for Kyiv. Speaking at the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Austin emphasized the global stakes of Ukraine’s fight.

“Ukraine’s war against invading Russian forces matters to all of us,” Austin said. “We all have a stake in ensuring that autocrats cannot place their imperial ambitions ahead of the bedrock rights of free and sovereign peoples.”

Future U.S. support in question

Trump, who has criticized the level of U.S. military aid for Ukraine, has pledged to bring a swift end to the war, though he has not outlined specific proposals for a ceasefire or peace deal.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy inside Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, ahead of a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the landmark cathedral following the 2019 fire, in Paris, December 7, 2024. Reuters

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed hope the U.S. would continue supporting Ukraine under Trump’s administration but said the EU was prepared to lead if necessary.

“I’m really sure that all the other members, and hopefully also the United States, are ready to continue with the support to Ukraine,” Kallas said ahead of the Ramstein meeting.

She added, “It is not in the interest of America that Russia becomes the strongest force in the world.”

Kallas said the EU was “ready to take over this leadership if the United States is not willing to do so.”

Escalating tensions

Russian and Ukrainian forces remain locked in intense fighting as both sides seek to solidify their positions ahead of Trump’s inauguration.

Trump has previously criticized NATO allies for insufficient defense spending. This week, he caused further alarm by refusing to rule out military action to claim Greenland, an autonomous territory of EU and NATO member Denmark.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stressed the importance of strengthening Ukraine ahead of any potential peace talks.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte holds a press conference, ahead of a meeting of NATO Defense Ministers in Brussels, Belgium October 16, 2024 Reuters

“We have to bring Ukraine into the best possible position,” Rutte said. “When talks eventually begin, initiated by Ukraine, they must be in the strongest possible position.”

Rutte warned that the outcome of the conflict would have global implications.

“If it is not a good deal, it will be watched by the Chinese, the North Koreans, Iran, and obviously Russia,” he said. “The whole world is watching.”