Since February 24, 2022, the Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing.
To find ways to end the war, top U.S. officials will meet with European officials this week. This information was shared yesterday, Sunday, by U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, a key figure in President Donald Trump’s administration.
In an interview with NBC, Mike Waltz stated that Russia’s economy is not in good shape. Trump is prepared to impose tariffs, taxes, and sanctions on Moscow to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. During this week’s meetings, the Trump administration will begin discussions on reinstating some U.S. aid to Ukraine. At the same time, European allies must play a greater role in supporting Ukraine.
The National Security Advisor said, “We need to compensate for those losses. To do this, we are forming a partnership with Ukraine, which includes buying and selling each other’s natural resources, such as oil and gas.”
Waltz added, “The discussions are starting this week. I believe an underlying principle here is that Europeans must assume that the war will continue for some time. President Trump is determined to bring it to an end.”
Before this interview, The New York Post reported that Trump had spoken with Putin over the phone about finding a solution to the Ukraine issue. When asked about the conversation, Trump told journalists, “I don’t want to say. We are trying to stop the war. If I were president, this war would never have started. But we have made progress, which I cannot disclose.”
From before taking office, Trump has supported the swift end of the Ukraine war. He previously claimed he could stop the war within 24 hours, though later, this timeframe extended to six months. Trump hinted that Washington is negotiating with Moscow regarding the Ukraine war, though Kyiv is not involved in these discussions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier warned against any peace agreement that excludes Ukraine.
Today, Monday, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance will attend an artificial intelligence conference in Paris, France, alongside government officials. From there, Vance will travel to the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will lead Ukraine’s delegation. Also attending the Munich conference will be U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Trump’s special representative for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg. On Thursday, Hegseth will participate in a NATO meeting in Brussels.
Zelensky’s advisor, Andriy Yermak, is also expected to attend the Munich Security Conference. Speaking to the Associated Press, he stated that Kyiv’s delegation would use the conference to present Ukraine’s stance on ending the war. Kyiv hopes to discuss possible security guarantees to prevent further Russian aggression.