US Denies Trump Peace Push with Russia as Betrayal of Ukraine

US Denies Trump Peace Push with Russia as Betrayal of Ukraine

BRUSSELS, Belgium – A surprise development in international diplomacy has left European powers feeling blindsided. In a shocking move, US President Donald Trump agreed to launch negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the nearly three-year conflict in Ukraine.

Trump's phone call with Putin on Wednesday sparked concerns that Ukraine would be excluded from direct talks between the two superpowers. However, Trump's defense chief, Pete Hegseth, denied any betrayal of Ukraine, stating that all parties involved are invested in peace.

There is no betrayal there, said Hegseth ahead of a meeting with NATO counterparts in Brussels. There is a recognition that the whole world and the United States is interested in peace. That will require both sides recognizing things they don't want to.

Trump has been pushing for a swift resolution to the conflict, while Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized the importance of his country being involved in any negotiations.

The Kremlin reported that the phone call between Trump and Putin lasted nearly one-and-a-half hours, during which both leaders agreed it was time to work together. After speaking with Putin, Trump called Zelenskyy and shared details of their conversation.

This sudden shift in US-Russia relations has sparked a flurry of high-level meetings, including a security conference in Munich where Zelenskyy will meet US Vice President JD Vance on Friday. The meeting is expected to kick off negotiations between the two sides.

However, European leaders have expressed concerns that Washington may be making concessions to Moscow. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected any notion of a dictated peace, while German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described it as regrettable that the US was already showing signs of compromise.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has outlined a series of expectations for halting the conflict, including a recognition by both sides that Ukraine will not regain all its lost territory or become a NATO member. He also emphasized that Europe must now provide the overwhelming share of aid to Ukraine and that US troops will not be deployed as a security guarantee under any deal.

Throughout Russia's war on Ukraine since 2022, Western powers have maintained that no decisions regarding Ukraine's future should be taken without Kyiv's involvement. NATO Chief Mark Rutte echoed this sentiment, stating that it is crucial for Ukraine to be closely involved in any talks about its future. Britain's Defense Secretary John Healey also emphasized the importance of Ukraine's voice being at the heart of any negotiations.

In summary, the US has denied accusations of betraying Ukraine by opening talks with Russia, and European leaders are calling for Kyiv to have a seat at the table as negotiations move forward.

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