On Friday, February 14th, Vice President JD Vance of the United States is scheduled to hold talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky during the Munich Security Conference. The discussion is expected to focus on President Trump’s efforts to facilitate negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to resolve the key issue of the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.
According to the State Department spokesperson, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was supposed to accompany Vance for the meeting with Zelensky. However, Rubio’s Air Force plane experienced mechanical issues en route to Munich and had to return to Washington, delaying his schedule.
Vance, during his participation in the Munich Security Conference in Germany, mentioned in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that President Trump has a “wide range” of options, from economic tools to military means, that can be used in negotiations with Russia and as leverage to end the conflict in Ukraine.
When asked how the US would pressure Russian President Putin to ensure compliance with any ceasefire agreements, Vance stated that there are various pressure tools available and emphasized that all options would be on the table when entering negotiations.
Furthermore, Vance warned that if Russia fails to reach a good peace agreement with Ukraine, the US may impose sanctions on Russia.
During a speech before the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the war between Ukraine and Russia “must end.” He emphasized the US commitment to uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty but expressed the view that negotiating Ukraine’s NATO membership was not a realistic outcome to pursue, as it would only prolong the conflict and cause more suffering.
Zelensky expressed that he would only agree to a face-to-face meeting with Putin after reaching a common plan with President Trump. He considers Trump as a key figure in ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and disclosed that Trump had shared his phone number with him before the opening of the Munich Security Conference.
Zelensky is expected to meet Vance later. Many observers, especially those from Europe, hope that Vance could reveal Trump’s specific ideas for a negotiated solution to the conflict.
Zelensky warned that Russia is preparing to deploy up to 150,000 troops in Belarus this year, potentially for confrontation with NATO countries. He stated that while he is uncertain whether these forces would attack Ukraine, they are likely to launch an offensive, which could also target Poland or Baltic countries.
As Zelensky sounded this alarm, Trump had just reached an agreement with Putin, agreeing to begin negotiations on a peace deal.
After his conversations with both Putin and Zelensky, Trump highlighted the importance of achieving peace and expressed hope for positive outcomes at the Munich conference led by Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Rubio.
Zelensky’s office confirmed that the conversation with Trump lasted about an hour and touched on peace opportunities, collaborative efforts, Ukraine’s technological capabilities, including drones, and other advanced industries.
Vance’s bilateral meeting with Zelensky can be watched live on the following YouTube links:
– https://youtube.com/live/0r5nQgzc80s
– https://youtube.com/live/Hhw0Zrcohqg
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