Tensions between the Trump administration and the Ukrainian government had escalated behind the scenes the past week before erupting completely into a public perspective on Wednesday.
Personally, Ukrainian officials have been wary after being told that President Volodimia Zelensky could cancel a meeting with President Trump’s top administration officials if he did not promptly agree to a particular request. Ta. They were concerned about the public and private messages from senior Trump advisors about whether the possibility of joining Ukraine’s NATO could end the war in negotiations with Russia. And they were concerned when Defense Secretary Pete Hegses told them at a meeting in the closed territory that the US might withdraw a considerable number of troops from Europe.
From President Donald Trump’s perspective, Zelensky was opposed to what Trump considers to be asking reasonable countries. He hastily found Zelensky to compromise that it is necessary to ease and reconcile the compromises we and European officials have been acknowledging for a long time. And he intensified that Zelensky had been excluded from talks between the US and Russia over Ukraine’s public complaints after meeting several times with some of Trump’s top advisers to end the war. .
“There’s frustration,” White House officials said they accused Zelensky and other European leaders of trying to “deny” Trump’s peace efforts.
This article is based on interviews with more than 12 US and European officials and others with knowledge of personal meetings and discussions between the Trump administration and the Ukrainian government. They all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal conversations.
Trump assaulted Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, denounced the decision to invade and called for a new election in Kiev. After Zelensky countered that Trump was selling “disinformation” in Russia, Trump called out Zelensky, an “odd job” and “dictator” who was elected Ukrainian leader. It strengthened rhetoric.
Zelenskyy was elected in 2019, and last year’s elections were suspended due to war.
The escalation has raised concerns in the US, including some of Trump’s Republican allies.
Sen. Tom Tillis (RN.C.) told NBC News that he would “supply the war of words between Trump and Zelensky in Putin’s hands.”
Zelenskyy’s approach
Republican supporters in Ukrainian parliament and lobbyists hired by Washington’s Kiev after President Trump won the November election, saying his government is ready to compromise on peace talks for the Zelensky people Advising to demonstrate the matter, and trying to convince Russia that Russia is a major obstacle to any reconciliation, the three have knowledge of the matter.
“The key was to convince Trump that Ukraine wasn’t the problem,” one of them said.
Putin had little interest in negotiating a peace deal. And intelligence from the US and allies indicates that his views have not been changed and that he wants to ultimately control everything in Ukraine. But Zelensky’s government recognized Trump’s skepticism of his cause and that he had a track record of avoiding criticism of Russia, two people with knowledge of the matter said.
Zelenskyy tried to show that his government was flexible. Although NATO membership is far-reaching, the US has not publicly declared it, Zelensky suggested, for example, that European countries could deploy troops to Ukraine as security guarantees in postwar arrangements.
His approach seemed to work.
Trump delivered some harsh rhetoric about Russia and threatened Moscow with tariffs, sanctions and taxes on the sale of Russian goods if Putin did not negotiate an end to the war. He also retired as Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, who had sympathy for Kiev as his Ukrainian envoy.
And then it all changed last week.
Putin released Mark Vogel, a US teacher who was imprisoned in Russia. The move allowed Trump to chase after the promises he made during his campaign. According to Trump, Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkov met with Putin for three hours while he was in Moscow.
The following day, on February 12, Trump spoke with Putin, and later announced that the two countries would begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Trump then spoke with Zelenskyy.
When announcing his team to negotiate with the Russians, Trump ruled out Kellogg, who was stabbed, according to US officials who are familiar with his reaction. Kellogg is holding a meeting in Kiev, but was not a US official who met Russians this week in Saudi Arabia.
Tensions in Munich
When we and European officials prepared to convene in Brussels and Munich last week – at a meeting coincided with Trump’s announcement of a settlement with Putin – some Trump administration officials have been told between Washington and Kiev I tried not to destroy the relationship.
Four government and parliament officials said ahead of the speech in Brussels on February 12, some State Department officials said Ukraine would not acquire NATO membership as part of a peace agreement with Russia. He advised his team that it shouldn’t be.
Hegseth’s speech did not follow that advice. He set out from a draft prepared earlier in the day to convey a dull message about the Ukrainian outlook for NATO membership than originally written.
His prepared statement said that Ukraine’s security guarantees “should not be provided through NATO membership.”
Hegus, who said his comments about the potential NATO membership in Ukraine were made in collaboration with other regions of Trump’s national security team, softened his comments the following day. He insisted in negotiations that “everything is on the table.” And while Trump told reporters Thursday he had not asked Hegses to return to his remarks, he also said that Hegses’ tone has “a little softer.”
At the same time, Trump said he thought Hegses’ initial remarks were “very accurate,” furthering the confusion and criticism that the US had kept it to Russia’s important demands before negotiations began.
Personally, Hegus surprised the Ukrainians. In his meeting with Zelensky, the Trump administration considers pulling down many US troops in Europe as the US focuses on the Asia-Pacific region and Mexico border, according to the US five-person US. He said he thought he was. Another person familiar with the officials and meetings.
“Your report is 100% wrong,” Pentagon spokesman John Urito said in a statement from Hegus, advice he received from State Department officials and comments on his private remarks regarding the reduction of US military in Europe. Writed by email upon request.
“Secretary Hegseth was advised by administrative officials to avoid questioning NATO membership. The Secretary’s remarks were coordinated with senior members of the President’s national security team, and they said he He supported the message that he delivered from top to bottom. Furthermore, the president himself later reinforced the remarks made by Secretary Hegses regarding NATO membership, and later in his own public comments in an oval office.
Ullyot also said that Hegseth “did not make an announcement or timeline about the drawdown of US military in Europe.”
However, Vice President Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance delivered a consistent message during their trip last week. This means that Europe needs to take more responsibility for its own defense as the Trump administration prioritizes the US southern border and the Indo-Pacific.
One security guarantee is considered that part of the peace agreement will automatically grant Ukrainian NATO membership if Russia violates the agreement, four US officials said.
Such provisions aim to address important concerns from Ukraine and its allies that Russia will reorganize the country and invade it again, four officials said.
Other parts of Hegses’ Brussels speech were delivered by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in just three seats, causing Kyiv to nervous. He said that it was a “unrealistic purpose” for Ukraine to return to its border before Russia first invaded its Crimea in 2014.
The day of Hegses’ speech and Trump’s call with Putin and Zelensky was Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent was in Kiev for a meeting with Zelensky, who hadn’t worked out on either side.
Bessent presented Zelenskyy with a document that grants the US ownership of half of the Ukrainian rare earth minerals important for creating a variety of technologies. Zelenskyy was surprised by Bessent’s approach.
When Zelenskyy said he needed time to study the proposal, Bessent said five U.S. officials and another with knowledge of the discussion, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his future I said there is a risk of meetings, or signing them, or there is a risk. .
The Ukrainians saw these meetings, which are scheduled to be held on the sidelines of a security conference held in Munich later that week.
Bescent said that the agreement with the Trump administration on rare earth minerals is a key component of building a strategic partnership between the US and Ukraine, and ultimately guarantees Kiev’s security after negotiations to the war are over. He explained to Zelensky that he would contribute.
The Treasury did not respond to requests for comment.
Zelenskyy did not sign the document. In Munich, Ukrainian officials were initially said that the Zelenskyy meeting with Vance and Rubio had been postponed. They were delayed, but they were eventually done.
The Rare Earth Mineral Agreement remains within its scope.
Initially, after saying that the US and Ukraine were talking about the proposal, Zelensky indicated that he disagreed with the current version as he would not adequately protect his country.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Bescent said he believes Zelensky will ultimately sign an agreement with the US on Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.
“Bescent’s offer is to acknowledge that Ukraine’s ability to protect itself has contributed significantly to the US taxpayers,” a White House official said.
“The offer is to retrieve some of it,” the official said.
