Donald Trump said he and Vladimir Putin agreed to begin negotiations to mediate a ceasefire in Ukraine, and later on to NATO if Kiev regains all territory or reaches the deal. He added that he is unlikely to participate.
Trump also said that Ukraine is “alright” because it doesn’t have a NATO membership and that it is “impossible” for Ukraine to reclaim much of its land for negotiations.
Russia “takes a lot of land, they fought for the land, they lost many soldiers,” he told reporters in an oval office.
Trump said he has no close interest in which areas were handed over.
“I’m just trying to get peace here,” he said. “I don’t really care much other than wanting to stop millions of people being killed.”
A quick entry into negotiations with Russia and an open demand for Ukraine to recognize the land will be minimal between Kiev and its European allies, so that the Trump administration will cut Putin’s demands as quickly as possible. Set a warning bell to provide resistance.
In a social media post, Trump said he had held a “long and very productive call” with Putin and agreed to “each team will start negotiations soon.”
He said he and Putin agreed to visit each other’s country and later told reporters that their first meeting would take place in Saudi Arabia.
“As they both agree, we want to stop millions of deaths in the war with Russia/Ukraine,” Trump writes about the true society. “President Putin even used my very powerful campaign motto: the “common sense.” We believe both very strongly. We agreed to work very closely, including visiting each other’s countries. ”
In its first visit to Russia by the US president since 2009 and its first visit to the US since 2015, the Kremlin confirmed the call and mutual invitation for leaders to visit each other’s countries.
The Kremlin also maintained its prime position, saying Putin “cited the need to eliminate the underlying causes of the conflict and agreed that long-term settlements could be achieved through peaceful negotiations.”
Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelensky supported the talks on Wednesday, at least in public, saying he and Trump had a “meaningful” conversation over the phone. “No one wants more peace than Ukraine,” he wrote. “Together with the United States, we are celebrating the next step to stop the attacks on Russia and ensuring lasting, reliable peace. Let’s do that, as President Trump said.”
Trump told reporters that the United States is trying to “secur” future military aid for Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and other natural resources.
“As long as he’s there, I don’t think so,” Trump said he’s not worried about the freeze on talks between Ukrainian President Voldime Zelenki.
But he said, “There are times when (Ukraine) elections have to be made… His poll count is not particularly large.”
Trump said Zelensky will meet with Vice President JD Vance on Friday and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a bystander at the Munich Security Council.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US negotiating position was outlined in Brussels, where the Secretary of Defense made public statements that Kiev must admit that he cannot reclaim all the lands occupied by Russia. I did.
“We must recognize that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 border is an unrealistic purpose,” Hegus said, sketching his first position for peace negotiations with Russia.
“Tracing this fantastic goal only prolongs the war and causes more suffering,” he added, but this effectively acknowledges the annexation of Crimea and the majority of the Donbass by Russia. can be interpreted as being.
Kiev only achieved peace through “robust security guarantees,” but Hegus excluded Ukraine’s NATO membership. Instead, peace must be secured by “competent and non-European forces.”
British or European troops deployed in Ukraine are not covered by part of the NATO mission or covered under Article 5 of the Alliance, Heggs added.
Hegseth has set several positions to achieve peace in Ukraine, but few experts believe there have been serious diplomatic progress. Russia, which has achieved its position on the battlefield, is eager to push its advantages back into the home, requiring Ukraine to give it more territory and effectively demilitarize it as part of the deal.
Russia’s demands could reflect those who took place on the eve of a full-scale invasion in 2021. Ukraine adopted a neutral position, and NATO stopped deploying arms to member states after the alliance began accepting former communist states in 1997. It includes much of Eastern Europe, including Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and the Baltic states of Estonia.
In December, Putin also said he insisted that Ukraine adopt a neutral position and implement some degree of demilitarization, but demanded that the West lift sanctions against Russia.
Kiev has rejected these requests in the past, and the Biden administration has previously said it is up to Ukraine to decide when peace negotiations will be held.
Earlier this week, Zelensky told the Guardian that Europe could not provide resilient security assurances to Kiev without US involvement. “Security guarantees without America are not real,” he said.
The deterrent of Ukraine-based multinationals after the ceasefire should be between 100,000 and 150,000 strength, Zelensky said, but that is far more than the occupied Russian troops of more than 600,000 Ukraine. It would be small, Zelensky said.
“Europe cannot protect this kind of power now,” a senior European diplomat told the Guardian. “But we cannot force the United States (to violate the military), so we have to accept this and understand what we can do.”
Another senior European diplomat called the US position outlined by Hegustes’ premature surrender and asked what he would be forced to negotiate. The person also said that being prepared to offer concessions from Ukraine would encourage Russia to demand more in future negotiations.
Zelenskyy also suggested that in his reading of their call, Ukraine is reviewing its contract with the US over the new “security, economic cooperation and resource partnership.” Following a meeting with Zelensky and Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent, he visited Kiev to discuss access to rare earth minerals, energy resources and energy assets, according to Reuters.
The US suggests that in the future, in exchange for providing military aid to Ukraine, access to rare earth minerals, a strategic metal essential to the industry that develops computers, batteries and cutting-edge energy technologies. Masu.
Rapid development worries Europe, which appears to be negotiating the future of the continent’s security against the heads of Europeans themselves.
“If Europe is responsible for the safety of Ukraine and even able to provide the military (under the ceasefire agreement), we need to sit at the table and consult with Americans,” European officials say. I did. “And we’re not being consulted.”
The European Foreign Minister declared his support for Ukraine at a conference of allies held in Paris on Wednesday. German Foreign Minister Analena Bearbok said Ukraine’s interests must be protected in negotiations between Moscow and Washington. French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barott called for direct participation in the European talks, saying “There will be no fair and lasting peace in Ukraine without the participation of Europeans.”
A spokesman for the UK Foreign Office expressed support for Trump’s desire to end the war, but said, “Russia can do this tomorrow by withdrawing its forces and ending illegal aggression. We have always said we will support Ukraine to achieve just and lasting peace. Our priority now is to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position.”
Trump’s announcement is a trade between American teacher Mark Vogel, who was arrested in Moscow on drug charges, and prisoners including Alexander Vinnik, who was arrested in Greece in 2017 on cryptocurrency fraud and later handed over to the US. It was followed.
The contract was arranged by Trump’s envoy, Vitkov of the Middle East. He is currently accused of being one of the closest allies in the team leading negotiations with the Russians.
The US negotiation team includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio. CIA director John Ratcliffe. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, Ambassador and Witkoff.
Notable for his absence from the negotiation team was General Keith Kellogg. He previously appointed envoys for Ukraine and Russia and had met with European leaders to discuss future negotiations.
However, few people were convinced he spoke directly for Trump, and he is beyond his “deep faith” and is the best person to negotiate a deal. He said he provided almost specific details besides his “deep faith.”
