This article was reprinted with permission after being published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The opening of the February 14th Munich Security Conference may represent a crucial time in the continuing efforts to end Russia’s three-year-old, ongoing war against Ukraine.
U. S. President Donald Trump has announced a planned meeting in Munich between high-ranking representatives from Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington scheduled to take place on the first day of the three-day event.
” Wednesday is the appointment in Munich. Russia is going to be that with our members. Ukraine is also invited” , , Trump told reporters , at the White House on the eve of the event.
He did not say who had indicate each state in the discussions but said it would be “high-ranking citizens from Russia, from Ukraine, and from the United States”.
U. S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, are expected to attend the Munich event, as is Keith Kellogg, Trump’s minister for Russia and Ukraine.
However, a spokeswoman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was cited by Russian media as saying that a conference with a Russian agent was not planned.
According to the media reports, Dmytro Lytvyn stated that “talks with the Russians in Munich are never anticipated.”
High Stakes
The uncertainty surrounding the meeting is a result of the powerful high-stakes diplomacy that has been conducted prior to the annual conference, which brings together senior military figures, diplomats, and political leaders in the European city.
Trump announced on February 12 that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation and that they had agreed to start peace talks to stop Russia’s hostility of Ukraine.
Kyiv and its allies in Europe reacted with differing opinions to that growth. In addition to that, Selenskyy has made it abundantly clear that Ukraine won’t take any contracts that don’t directly concern it. Without the United States as an independent state,” we just cannot take any agreements,” he said.
Kyiv fears being pushed into a cease-fire or serenity partnership that favors Moscow and exposes Ukraine to more Russian hostility. This could mean that it will be excluded from efforts to end the fight on its own ground.
Spokesman Lytvyn emphasized that the Russian position is constant, and that Europe should be a part of “any severe conversation for the sake of real and lasting serenity.”
Officials from Europe have also expressed concern about the U.S. approach, particularly the possibility that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity could be hampered if the US concessions Russia.
” Any quick fix is a dirty deal”, said Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign legislation captain, warning against any partnerships that could be seen as peace.
Reassurances
On the outside of the event, Vance and Rubio were scheduled to meet with President Zelenskyy partly in response to those issues, though it’s not known if that meeting is still being held.
The U. S. defence minister, Hegseth, said at a NATO defence ministers ‘ conference in Brussels that Trump’s strategy to deal with Russia was “certainly not a betrayal” of Kyiv.
Trump even called Zelenskyy and stated on February 13 that he would attend any negotiations for peace with Russia with the assurance that he would.
In Moscow, excluding Ukraine from the serenity deals would be seen as a win. Putin has repeatedly stated that the United States and Russia should be the main mediators in this situation, and he has tried to discredit Zelenskyy by falsely claiming that he is illegal.
In any speaks, regardless of format, may be discussed whether Ukraine should lose place that is currently being held by Russia, whether Ukraine could join NATO, whether international peacekeeping forces might be deployed, or whether there should be lifting of sanctions against Russia.
