President Trump's advisory team is expected to meet with Russian officials next week Peace negotiations During the war in Ukraine, two U.S. government officials familiar with the details told CBS News on Saturday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz The official said Mr. Trump’s special envoy in the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Saudi Arabia to attend the meeting. Mr. Trump revealed the news He made a separate phone call Last week, he joined Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“We are moving forward, we are working to build peace with Russia-Ukraine. We are working to do it,” Mr. Trump told reporters on Sunday.
Asked if he would participate in peace negotiations in President Zelensky Worrying that Ukraine and Europe will be excluded from the conversation, Mr. Trump said yes, adding that he would allow Europeans to buy American-made weapons for Ukrainians. He also noted that Putin wanted to end the war and disagrees with Zelenskyy, who told NBC News on Sunday that Russia would launch a war against NATO if the United States withdraws from the league.
Rubio said in an interview with CBS's Face the Nation that the president “will soon know” whether a peaceful dialogue with Russia is a real thing or whether it's an effort Purchase time. ”
“I don't want to cancel the opportunity to end a conflict that has lost hundreds of thousands and continue every day to the war of attrition between the two sides,” Rubio said.
State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said the Secretary of State had a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday to follow up on Mr. Trump's conversation with Putin.
“The secretary reaffirmed President Trump's commitment to resolving the Ukrainian conflict,” Bruce said. “In addition, they discussed opportunities to work together on many other bilateral issues.”
At this week's Munich security meeting, European officials stressed that Ukraine needs to participate in part of peace negotiations to end the war. Vice President JD Vance Meets Zelenskyy In Munich on Friday, he was told that the United States wanted “lasting, lasting peace”, while Zelensky asked for “safety assurance.”
Zelenskyy told the World Leaders Conference that Ukraine does not accept “deals reached behind us without our participation” and calls for creation “European Armed Forces” Amid the changing possibilities of relations between Europe and the United States
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Said Thursday When it comes to negotiations, “everything is on the table”, but he suggests that Ukraine expects NAD membership is unrealistic.
“As far as NATO is concerned, I'll tell you, from years before President Putin, I'll tell you, I heard Russia would never accept it,” Mr. Trump said. “So that's it, I think that's the way it's necessary.”
Hegseth also doubted that Ukraine could return to its pre-2014 border, when Russia invaded Ukraine for the first time and annexed Crimea.
Putin and Mr. Trump are also expected to meet in Saudi Arabia “Soon,” the president said Sunday, but did not disclose when their meeting will take place. A Saudi spokesman praised the possible summit between Putin and the two leaders.
Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman also encouraged deals between U.S. and Russian officials, which led to the return of American teachers Marc Fogel This week after three and a half years in a Russian prison.
Contributed to this report.
