Florida: U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday, February 18, that he "might" meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin by the end of the month.
Speaking at a press conference at his private residence in Florida, Trump did not disclose the exact date or location of the potential meeting. When asked whether the meeting would happen within February, he simply responded, "Maybe."
This statement comes after Trump had previously indicated that he would soon meet with his Russian counterpart to discuss bringing an end to the war in Ukraine. Just hours before Trump's remarks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Rubio stated that the discussions focused on improving bilateral relations and reaching an agreement on ending the conflict in Ukraine.
Washington and Moscow reportedly agreed to establish negotiation teams to facilitate discussions on ending the war. However, Ukraine strongly condemned this initiative, arguing that it was excluded from the negotiations. The U.S. responded by stating that Europe would be included in the peace process "at some point."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his stance that any negotiations regarding the end of the war must involve Turkey and other European nations. He emphasized that peace talks should be fair and inclusive. Zelensky also criticized discussions taking place without Ukraine’s direct involvement, arguing that such an approach aligns with Putin’s interests.
Meanwhile, President Trump expressed confidence in reaching an agreement to end the war. He dismissed Kyiv’s complaints about being excluded from talks, stating, "Today I heard that Ukraine was not invited. Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have never started the war. You could have made a deal."
Several European leaders have voiced concerns that Washington may offer significant concessions to Moscow, potentially reverting Europe's security arrangements to a pre-Cold War state. In response, Russia has suggested that ending the war in Ukraine would necessitate new European security agreements. Moscow has long demanded the withdrawal of NATO forces from Eastern Europe.
