Former President Trump's administration is actively pursuing a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Vice President JD Vance emphasized Trump's commitment to exploring a wide range of options, including economic and military leverage, to facilitate productive negotiations with both President Putin and President Zelenskyy. Vance expressed optimism about a potential deal emerging from these discussions.
Vance's remarks preceded his meeting with President Zelenskyy in Munich, where European leaders closely observed the United States' stance on negotiating an end to the nearly three-year-long war. A key development was a phone call between Trump and Putin, during which they agreed to initiate immediate negotiations. Trump subsequently announced that a team led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff would spearhead these efforts.
While Trump remained somewhat ambiguous about the specifics of his plan, he hinted at the possibility of Ukraine ceding territory seized by Russia since 2014. He underscored the urgency of ending the conflict, citing the devastating loss of life. Both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed Ukraine's hopes of joining NATO and reclaiming all lost territory, emphasizing the need to acknowledge the current realities on the ground.
Hegseth stressed that recognizing the existing territorial situation wasn't a concession to Putin but a pragmatic assessment. He emphasized that any negotiated settlement would require compromises from both sides.
