National Guard troops in DC are now armed, defense official says

ABC News' Rachel Scott asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt why President Donald Trump's proposal for a meeting between him and the Russian and Ukrainian presidents changed into a bilateral meeting.

Leavitt stressed that while the U.S. is working to get Zelenskyy and Putin together, it was up to them to get a plan.

"The president has always said that there are areas of disagreement in this war that will have to be discussed and decided upon by these two countries. And so he wants these two countries to engage in direct diplomacy," Leavitt said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated President Donald Trump's statement that no U.S. ground troops will be placed in Ukraine but that the U.S. will help coordinate security guarantees.

"The president has definitively stated U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine, but we can certainly help in the coordination and perhaps provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies," Leavitt said. "The president understands security guarantees are crucially important to ensure a lasting peace, and he has directed his national security team to coordinate with our friends in Europe, and also to continue to cooperate and discuss these matters with Ukraine and Russia as well."

Pressed on Russia's statement that it opposes any NATO peacekeeping troops on the ground in Ukraine, Leavitt said conversations are ongoing on the issue.

"Well, look, the president continues to have these conversations with both leaders. Those conversations took place in Anchorage, Alaska, again yesterday with the Europeans and President Zelenskyy, and he has directed his team to come up with a framework for these security guarantees that can be acceptable to help ensure a lasting peace and end this war," Leavitt said.

NATO military leaders, including top U.S. military generals, are planning to discuss Ukraine on Wednesday during a video meeting, officials said.

The online discussion comes as President Donald Trump on Tuesday said European allies want to commit ground troops to guarantee Ukraine's security. Trump on Tuesday morning ruled out U.S. ground troops in Ukraine but said it's possible the U.S. offers air assets.

"As diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Ukraine progress, looking forward to his update on the current security environment," Italy's Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of NATO's military committee, wrote on X. Dragone said he will host the video conference.

Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the top U.S. commander in Europe who serves as NATO's senior military commander, is expected to brief the other military leaders, according to a senior NATO military official. It's also expected that Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, would attend as head of U.S. military forces. Caine's office did not immediately confirm that he would be in attendance.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty

President Donald Trump told "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday that there will be no deployment of American ground troops to defend Ukrainian territory.

"You have my assurance, and I'm president," Trump said.

Trump provided little new details on the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine. When asked if he had gotten Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to NATO-like protections, Trump did not reveal whether he had.

"They're not going to be a part of NATO. But we have European nations that will front-load it and some of them France and Germany -- U.K., they want boots on the ground. Putin is tired of it; they are all tired of it. You never know, find out about President Putin in next couple of weeks. We'll see where it all goes. It is possible he doesn't want to make a deal," Trump said.