U.S. officials to visit Europe for talks on ending Ukraine war
The Trump administration is sending high-ranking officials to Europe this week to discuss strategies for ending the war in Ukraine. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz confirmed that these discussions aim to explore diplomatic and economic measures to pressure Russia into negotiations.
High-level diplomatic engagement
The diplomatic effort comes nearly three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The talks follow reports that U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding potential steps toward a negotiated settlement. However, neither the White House nor the Kremlin has officially confirmed the conversation.
Waltz emphasized that Russia’s economy is struggling and suggested that additional U.S. tariffs and sanctions could force Putin to negotiate. He also noted that European allies must take a more active role in supporting Ukraine moving forward.
European allies to play a greater role
Waltz stressed that the U.S. is seeking ways to recover some of its financial support for Ukraine. “We need to reclaim these costs, and that will involve partnerships with Ukraine in terms of their natural resources, including oil and gas,” he said during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press. He added that European nations must assume greater responsibility for the conflict’s resolution. “President Trump is going to bring this war to an end, and moving forward, European nations must take the lead on security guarantees.”
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance will attend an AI summit in Paris on Monday before traveling to the Munich Security Conference later this week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will lead his nation’s delegation at the event. Other U.S. officials attending include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia.
Ukraine left out of key talks?
Trump has repeatedly claimed that he could end the war quickly, initially promising a resolution within 24 hours, later adjusting the timeline to six months. However, he has not provided specific details on how he plans to achieve this.
Critics argue that Trump’s approach excludes Ukraine from key negotiations. The Biden administration previously emphasized that any peace agreement must involve Ukraine, reflecting Zelensky’s stance of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” Zelensky has warned that excluding Ukraine from negotiations could embolden authoritarian leaders in countries such as China, North Korea, and Iran.
Meanwhile, Trump has hinted that he and Putin may take “significant” steps soon to resolve the conflict. He highlighted Russia’s economic struggles due to Western sanctions, inflation, and labor shortages. However, analysts note that Russia’s economy has not collapsed, and Putin has consolidated power by suppressing dissent.
The upcoming meetings in Europe will be crucial in shaping future diplomatic efforts and determining whether a negotiated settlement is feasible. The world will be closely watching how these discussions unfold.
