Europe has ‘pretty precise’ plan for troop deployments to Ukraine with US backing, von der Leyen says

European capitals are preparing detailed plans for possible military deployments to Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees with the backing of US forces, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said.

In an interview with the Financial Times, von der Leyen stressed that “security guarantees are paramount and absolutely crucial,” adding that a clear roadmap had been agreed during talks at the White House and that progress was on track.

She said member states were drawing up proposals for a “multinational troop deployment” that would include US support as a safeguard. “President Trump reassured us that there will be American presence as part of the backstop,” she said.

Meanwhile, Russia launched “massive” strikes across Ukraine overnight, rescue services said on Saturday, a new blow to peace efforts that drew a fresh appeal from President Volodymyr Zelensky for US and European help.

Despite a recent flurry of international efforts to broker a truce in the three-and-a-half-year conflict, led by US President Donald Trump, there have been no signs of a let-up in fighting on the ground.

Ukrainian rescue services said on Telegram that overnight strikes on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia had killed at least one person and wounded at least 25.

On Friday, the key EU members said in a joint statement that France and Germany will provide more air-defence hardware for Ukraine after “massive” Russian airstrikes in recent days.

“France and Germany will provide additional air defence to Ukraine,” they said, after President Emmanuel Macron hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a visit to the south of France.

“Despite intensive international diplomatic efforts, Russia shows no intention to end its war of aggression against Ukraine,” they added.

With inputs from agencies