President Trump plans to meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia to negotiate peace in Ukraine. Ukraine was not invited to the talks, and discussions have officially started with plans for concessions. Trump’s new negotiating team includes key cabinet members, reinforcing a pragmatic approach to U.S. involvement and future security guarantees for Ukraine while emphasizing that U.S. troops will not be deployed.
President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia to discuss resolving the ongoing war in Ukraine. The timing for this meeting remains unspecified, and notably, Ukraine has not been invited to participate in these discussions.
In a statement, Trump confirmed that discussions aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict have officially commenced following his calls with both leaders. This marks a significant advancement in U.S. diplomatic efforts just before the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
During a recent European trip, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested that for peace talks to advance, Ukraine might need to concede Crimea and reassess its NATO ambitions. Trump supported this view, stating, “I don’t think it’s practical to have it.”
The Kremlin revealed that during his call with Putin, the Russian leader invited Trump to visit Russia. Trump hinted that reciprocal visits could occur between their nations and expressed a willingness to potentially visit Ukraine.
In an update to his negotiating team, Trump appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA director John Ratcliffe, national security advisor Michael Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the peace talks while sidelining Keith Kellogg, the previous special envoy. The White House clarified Kellogg’s role remains intact despite the reshuffle.
As Trump’s calls took place, his cabinet members were visiting Europe. Rubio and Vice President JD Vance are scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Munich Security Conference. Hegseth emphasized a pragmatic approach to the war and stated, “Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering,” indicating the U.S. position on Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Hegseth also asserted that U.S. troops would not be deployed to Ukraine as part of any future security guarantees, aligning with Trump’s stance that realistic solutions must be sought. Zelenskyy previously remarked to The Guardian that without U.S. involvement, security guarantees from Europe lack credibility, declaring, “Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees.”
In summary, President Trump is initiating a series of peace talks with Russia regarding the Ukraine war, signaling a shift in U.S. diplomatic strategy amidst ongoing tensions. Potential concessions from Ukraine regarding Crimea and NATO membership were discussed as part of a pragmatic approach to negotiations. The appointments within Trump’s negotiating team indicate a focus on moving forward with these discussions at an accelerated pace. Overall, the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations and the resolution of the conflict remains contingent upon forthcoming discussions and negotiations.
Original Source: www.usatoday.com
