Kyiv/Brussels, Feb 13 - U.S. President announced on Thursday that Ukraine would participate in peace talks with Russia, though Kyiv expressed it would be premature to engage with Moscow at a security conference on Friday.
During a statement at the White House, Trump declared Ukraine's inclusion in any peace negotiations with Russia to end the war. He stated, "They're part of it. We would have Ukraine, and we have Russia, and we'll have other people involved, a lot of people."
Regarding his trust in Putin, he mentioned, "I believe that he would like to see something happen. I trust him on this subject."
Trump confirmed that U.S. and Russian officials would meet on Friday, with Ukraine also being invited.
An aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that Kyiv does not anticipate talks with the Russian side at the annual Munich Security Conference on Friday. They stressed the necessity for the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine to establish a unified position before engaging in talks with Moscow.
Trump hinted at a forthcoming meeting involving senior officials from all three countries, scheduled in Saudi Arabia next week to work towards ending the conflict.
A conversation between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized the imperative to bring an end to the war, according to the State Department.
After Russia's financial markets surged and the price of Ukraine's debt increased in anticipation of potential talks, concerns arose in both Kyiv and among European NATO allies about the White House potentially making agreements without their involvement.