President Donald Trump’s national security advisor announced on Sunday that key administration officials are set to engage in discussions with European leaders this week concerning the resolution of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This comes nearly three years after Russia initiated its comprehensive invasion.
In a development the previous day, the New York Post reported that Trump had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin to explore avenues for a negotiated settlement. While on board Air Force One en route to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, Trump chose not to elaborate on this reported conversation with Putin. He stated, “I don’t want to do that. We’re trying to end that war. It’s a war that would have never happened if I were president, but we’re making progress. However, I can’t divulge details.”
When pressed to clarify the timing of his discussions with Putin, whether they occurred prior to or after his presidency, Trump simply remarked, “Let’s just say I’ve had it. And I expect to have many more conversations. We have to get that war ended. It’s going to end.” Meanwhile, there was no immediate acknowledgment from the Kremlin about the details of the phone call.
In a separate television interview, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz highlighted that the Russian economy is faltering and indicated that Trump is willing to impose tariffs and sanctions against Moscow to prompt Putin to engage in negotiations. Waltz reiterated that the Trump administration plans to utilize this week’s sessions to initiate discussions on potentially reducing American aid to Ukraine, underscoring that European allies also have to increase their support for Ukraine in the future.
“We need to recoup those costs, and that is going to be a partnership with the Ukrainians concerning their natural resources, as well as purchasing our resources,” Waltz shared on NBC’s Meet the Press. He emphasized the necessity for Europe to take responsibility for the conflict moving forward. “President Trump is going to bring this to an end, and the security assurances will primarily rest with the Europeans.”
Vice President JD Vance will attend an artificial intelligence summit in Paris on Monday, which will convene government officials, and later in the week, he will travel to the Munich Security Conference where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to lead the nation’s delegation. Other notable attendees include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Trump’s special envoy on Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg.
On Wednesday, Hegseth will participate in the main international forum aimed at generating weapons and ammunition for Ukraine, followed by a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels the next day.
As the situation intensifies, Russian troops appear to be advancing, complicating efforts for a peace dialogue, regardless of Trump’s overtures to Putin. Experts from both Russian and Western perspectives indicate that Putin is nearing the fulfillment of his objectives in Ukraine, with scant motivation to consider negotiations.
Previously, Putin expressed that he considers Trump to be “clever and pragmatic,” and even echoed unfounded claims regarding Trump’s supposed victory in the 2020 elections. Trump’s initial strategy involved describing Putin as “smart” while threatening economic measures like tariffs and reductions in oil prices, which the Kremlin largely dismissed.
During his presidential campaign, Trump claimed he could resolve the conflict in a mere 24 hours; this timeframe later extended to six months. He has suggested that the U.S. is engaging Russia on the topic of Ukraine without involving Kyiv in the discussions, claiming that serious talks have already occurred. This stance opposes the Biden administration’s position that aligns with Zelenskyy’s insistence of “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” a stance intended to prevent empowering authoritarian regimes in places like China, North Korea, and Iran.
In the meantime, Trump has alluded to the possibility of “significant” actions being taken in cooperation with Putin to conclude the conflict, despite Russia’s heavy military losses and the economic strain caused by Western sanctions, inflation, and workforce shortages. Nonetheless, the Russian economy remains intact, and Putin has enacted severe crackdowns on dissent, causing a lack of domestic pressure to end the warfare.
Andriy Yermak, a senior advisor to Zelenskyy, is set to attend the Munich Security Conference and has indicated that the Ukrainian delegation plans to present its position on the state of the war. Yermak expressed hopes for dialogue regarding potential security guarantees that could deter future aggression from Russia.
The upcoming Munich summit represents a crucial moment for Ukraine as it seeks to forge a strong relationship with the newly appointed U.S. administration, which has been an essential ally during its extended struggle against Russian aggression.
