WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has ruled out sending American troops to help enforce a potential peace deal in Ukraine, despite him expressing an openness to the idea on Monday..

In a phone interview on Fox News this morning, Trump was asked: “What kind of assurances do you feel like you have, going forward, past this Trump administration, that it won’t be American boots on the ground defending (Ukraine’s) border?”

“Well, you have my assurance, and I’m president,” Trump responded.

A White House official confirmed Tuesday that Trump is “emphatic” about not sending US troops to protect Ukraine. But, that person added, there are other ways for the US to ensure Kyiv is protected.

The official added that conversations regarding commitments on security guarantees are ongoing, and the specifics of what that will look like will continue to be the subject of negotiations between the US, its European allies and Ukraine. Foreign leaders want to know what resources Trump will commit to ensure that, once a potential peace deal is reached, Russia isn’t able to regroup and go after more territory down the road.

Trump said Tuesday that he still believes European countries are the “first line of defense” when it comes to Russian aggression in Ukraine, but that the US will be involved in helping to secure the region.

More context: Trump was elected in part on a promise to keep American troops out of foreign conflicts, and even some members of his own administration have advocated for a vastly reduced US role in the Ukraine war. CNN