Trump Initiates Ukraine Peace Talks with Putin, Plans Meeting in Saudi Arabia
President Trump plans to meet with President Putin in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the Ukraine conflict. Talks have officially started following conversations with both Putin and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy. Secretary of Defense Hegseth suggested Ukraine may need to concede territories for peace, while Trump’s negotiating team has undergone changes to enhance the diplomatic approach.
President Donald Trump announced plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. While the specific date for this meeting remains undetermined, Trump confirmed that talks have commenced, although Ukraine has not been formally invited to participate. This follows Trump’s recent communications with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking a heightened effort from the U.S. to resolve the nearly three-year-old war.
During a pivotal call with Putin, which was his first since assuming office, Trump also engaged with President Zelenskyy, whom he last met in December. These conversations reflect an acceleration of U.S. initiatives aimed at concluding the war, coinciding with Trump’s campaign promises to end the conflict swiftly. He expressed optimism about reaching a resolution within six months, showing a clear commitment to reinvigorating peace dialogues.
In a related European trip, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth suggested that Ukraine may need to forgo Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and its aspirations for NATO membership to facilitate peace negotiations. Trump supported this viewpoint, indicating that achieving a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders might be impractical. This aligns with Trump’s evolving stance as he takes a more definitive approach to U.S. foreign policy under his administration.
The Kremlin reported that during their conversation, Putin invited Trump to visit Russia, and Trump noted that reciprocal visits were mutually agreed upon. Additionally, Trump announced changes to his negotiating team, appointing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others while omitting former Russia and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg from the immediate discussions. Still, Kellogg’s contributions to the talks were acknowledged by the White House as he continues to be part of the administration.
Cabinet members, including Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, visited Europe as part of the administration’s diplomatic efforts. Vance and Rubio are scheduled to meet with Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference. Hegseth’s remarks to allies emphasized the importance of reassessing Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders and realism in negotiations, asserting that U.S. troops would not be deployed in Ukraine as part of any security guarantees.
In conclusion, President Trump’s initiative to engage with both Putin and Zelenskyy marks a significant step in U.S. efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine. By acknowledging potential concessions from Ukraine and incorporating a new negotiating team, Trump aims to streamline discussions regarding the conflict. The upcoming meetings in Saudi Arabia and Europe may further shape the trajectory of these diplomatic efforts, reflecting a broader commitment to resolving the situation in Ukraine.
Original Source: www.usatoday.com
