Trump Admin Pushes for Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Putin Call Reports/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Senior U.S. officials are traveling to Europe this week for critical discussions on Ukraine as the Trump administration seeks to negotiate an end to the war. Reports suggest that President Donald Trump recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though Trump declined to confirm details. Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz signaled that European nations will need to take a greater role in Ukraine’s future, as the U.S. considers scaling back support. These discussions will unfold at the Munich Security Conference, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s delegation hopes to secure ongoing Western backing.
U.S. Officials in Europe: Quick Looks
- Trump administration officials will meet European leaders to discuss Ukraine’s war and potential peace talks.
- Reports indicate Trump spoke with Putin about a negotiated resolution, but details remain unclear.
- National Security Advisor Mike Waltz emphasized that Europe must take a greater role in supporting Ukraine.
- Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will attend the Munich Security Conference.
- Trump has suggested peace talks could progress without Kyiv’s direct involvement, sparking concerns among Ukrainian officials.
- Ukraine’s delegation, led by Andriy Yermak, plans to advocate for stronger security guarantees against future Russian aggression.
- Despite Western sanctions and battlefield losses, Putin faces little domestic pressure to end the war.
Trump Admin Pushes for Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Putin Call Reports
U.S. Pushes for Ukraine Peace Talks: A Deep Look
Trump Administration Seeks Negotiated End to Ukraine War
As the war in Ukraine nears its third anniversary, the Trump administration is taking active steps to broker peace. Senior U.S. officials will hold top-level discussions with European allies this week, focusing on strategies to end the conflict. The effort comes amid speculation that President Donald Trump recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about a potential resolution.
While aboard Air Force One en route to the Super Bowl, Trump declined to confirm the details of the reported phone call. “I don’t want to do that. We’re trying to end that war,” he told reporters. He insisted the war would never have occurred under his leadership but stopped short of revealing specifics about negotiations.
The Kremlin has not confirmed whether a conversation between Trump and Putin took place.
U.S. Signals Shift in Approach to Ukraine Aid
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz emphasized that European nations must take greater responsibility for supporting Ukraine moving forward. In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Waltz suggested that Trump may use economic pressure—including sanctions and tariffs—to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
“We need to recoup those costs, and that is going to be a partnership with the Ukrainians in terms of their natural resources, oil, and gas,” Waltz stated. “The Europeans have to own this conflict going forward. President Trump is going to end it.”
This position suggests a shift from the previous U.S. stance, which prioritized direct military and financial aid to Ukraine. Instead, Trump officials are looking at ways to reclaim some of the billions spent on Ukraine’s defense while pushing European allies to take a larger role.
Key U.S. Officials Travel to Europe
A major focus of the diplomatic effort will be the Munich Security Conference, where U.S. and European leaders will discuss Ukraine’s future. Key U.S. figures attending include:
- Vice President JD Vance, who will first stop in Paris for an AI summit before heading to Munich.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who will participate in NATO and security meetings.
- Trump’s special envoy on Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, who will help shape the administration’s negotiation strategy.
On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Hegseth will attend an international forum focused on securing military aid for Ukraine, followed by a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
Ukraine Under Pressure as Russia Gains Ground
Despite Trump’s push for peace talks, Western analysts warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin has little incentive to negotiate. Russia’s military has made strategic advances in Ukraine, and while Moscow is facing economic difficulties, Putin’s grip on power remains strong.
Putin has previously praised Trump as “clever and pragmatic” and even echoed Trump’s false claims about winning the 2020 election. However, Trump’s threats of economic pressure, including potential tariffs and oil price reductions, have been largely dismissed by the Kremlin.
During his campaign, Trump repeatedly claimed he could end the war in “24 hours” before later adjusting that timeline to six months. His recent comments suggest the U.S. may engage in negotiations with Russia without Ukraine’s direct involvement—an approach that diverges sharply from the Biden administration’s policy of ensuring Kyiv has a say in any peace talks.
Concerns Over Ukraine’s Exclusion from Talks
Ukrainian officials have voiced concerns that any peace deal negotiated without their input could set a dangerous precedent. President Zelenskyy has insisted that Ukraine must be directly involved in any resolution, warning that sidelining Kyiv would encourage further aggression from authoritarian leaders in Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.
Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Zelenskyy, will lead Ukraine’s delegation at the Munich conference. He told The Associated Press that Ukraine plans to use the platform to push for stronger security guarantees from Western allies. The Ukrainian government remains determined to ensure that any deal prevents future Russian aggression and safeguards Ukraine’s sovereignty.
What Comes Next?
The upcoming meetings in Europe will be crucial in determining the next steps in the Ukraine conflict. While Trump and his team are signaling a desire to shift the burden of support onto European nations, the path to a peace settlement remains uncertain.
With Russia maintaining battlefield momentum and Ukraine fighting to sustain international support, the negotiations in Munich could set the stage for significant policy changes in the coming months. Whether Trump’s administration can successfully broker a deal—or whether his approach will cause tensions with European and Ukrainian leaders—remains to be seen.
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