During a visit to Europe, Trump’s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, suggested separately that Ukraine would need to give up Crimea, a region seized by Russia in 2014 leading up to the current conflict, and its ambitions for NATO membership in order to reach a deal. Trump agreed with this stance in the Oval Office, stating, “I don’t think it’s feasible to have it.” Trump also mentioned a quick end to Russia’s war on Ukraine, but challenges have arisen in achieving this goal.
Putin extended an invitation for Trump to visit Russia, with Trump suggesting the possibility of Putin visiting the U.S. as well. Both leaders agreed to collaborate closely and initiate negotiations promptly. Trump also expressed openness to potentially visiting Ukraine, as reported by a journalist.
Furthermore, Trump restructured his negotiating team, appointing Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA director John Ratcliffe, national security advisor Michael Waltz, and special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to lead the discussions. Notably, special envoy Keith Kellogg, who had been overseeing talks with Russia and Ukraine, was omitted from the new team. The White House affirmed Kellogg’s ongoing involvement in the administration without elaborating on Trump’s decision.
Hegseth outlined Trump’s strategy in addressing the war during a speech to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels. He emphasized the need for a stable and successful Ukraine but deemed a return to the country’s pre-2014 borders as unattainable. Hegseth also conveyed that NATO membership for Ukraine was not a plausible outcome and proposed security assurances supported by a separate coalition of European and non-European troops for peacekeeping efforts, ruling out the deployment of U.S. forces to Ukraine.
In subsequent discussions with the press, Trump implied that Ukraine may not fully regain its territory, acknowledging that some land may be restored. These statements followed…
Zelensky said in a Tuesday interview with The Guardian that Europe on its own could not offer security guarantees that would be acceptable. “Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees,” Zelensky said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump starts Ukraine talks, will meet Putin in Saudi Arabia.
