UKRAINE PEACE SUMMIT: LEADERS IN WHITE HOUSE

DONALD Trump refused to rule out the deployment of US troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of any peace deal with Russia as he met Volodymyr Zelensky and western leaders at the White House.

- BY CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN US Editor

The US president signalled what could become the most dramatic shift in Washington's foreign policy since Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

When asked if he would authorise a military presence under a postwar agreement, Mr Trump said: "We'll let you know that, maybe later today. Russia moved quickly to denounce the possibility of Nato peacekeepers.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia's foreign ministry, said: "We reaffirm our repeatedly stated position on the categorical rejection of any scenarios involving the appearance of Nato military contingents in Ukraine, which threatens uncontrollable escalation of the conflict with unpredictable consequences."

That seemed to cast doubt on Mr Trump's boast earlier in the day, when he hit back at critics of his meeting with Vladimir Putin, posting: "Despite all of my lightweight and very jealous critics, I'll get it done - I always do!"

Mr Trump's openness to a peacekeeping role startled diplomats at the talks.

For Kyiv, guarantees of security remain a linchpin of any settlement with the Kremlin.

Making clear that the US would not sit on the sidelines and leave it to European forces, Mr Trump said: "They are the first line of defence, because they're there, Europe. But we're going to help them out. Also, we'll be involved.

"If we can get to peace, it's going to work. I have no doubt about it."

Keir Starmer told the US president and European leaders: "We could take a really important step forward today, a historic step actually could come out of this meeting in terms of security for Ukraine and security in Europe."