The United States is leaning toward the use of drones rather than manned aircraft as part of future security guarantees for Ukraine, sources familiar with the talks told CNN.

According to those sources, military officials this week discussed a wide range of options, with aerial support ranking high on the agenda. Within President Donald Trump’s administration, there are said to be lingering concerns about sending American pilots into Ukrainian airspace for manned missions. Instead, the White House is showing greater openness to relying on unmanned systems.

One of the possibilities under review is a middle-ground solution: U.S. pilots could conduct surveillance flights over Ukraine. Such missions would make it possible to deliver high-resolution imagery from the front lines without committing American fighter jets to active patrols of the skies.

Trump himself addressed the issue in an interview with Fox News, stressing that any future security guarantees for Ukraine could not be based on NATO involvement. At the same time, he indicated that Washington was prepared to assist Europe, especially «when it comes to the air," though he did not elaborate on what he meant. The president also made clear that no American troops would be stationed in Ukraine as long as he remains in office.