Trump advisers engage in Ukraine peace talks without a clear plan
Advisors to Donald Trump have recently engaged in discussions with the White House and Ukraine about ending the Ukrainian conflict, as reported by NBC News. Despite various public proposals, no concrete plan has been presented so far.
In recent days, Donald Trump's team of advisors has been conducting discussions with both the White House administration and representatives from Ukraine concerning the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict. However, these talks have not yet yielded specific results or a logistical plan.
Among those reportedly involved in discussions about ways to end the war in Ukraine are National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his successor Mike Waltz, as well as the head of the Ukrainian president's office, Andriy Yermak, with Keith Kellogg, who was appointed by Donald Trump as a special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Vice President-elect JD Vance, who has been critical of aid to Ukraine as a senator, was also reportedly included in this last meeting.
Like Vance, Kellogg supports a ceasefire along the current front line and opposes Ukraine's membership in NATO for at least the next decade.
- The atmosphere thus far in terms of the engagement between the Ukrainians and the incoming Trump team, including Zelenskyy and Trump himself, has been positive, said one NBC source.
Trump doesn't want to provide security guarantees
According to information from NBC, Trump's representatives, in discussions with European officials, have clearly emphasized that they do not intend to offer Ukraine security guarantees within NATO. They suggest that such guarantees should primarily come from European countries, potentially in the form of sending their forces to Ukraine, though it is unclear what role they would play and which countries might participate in such a mission. Additional arming of Ukraine is also being considered.
Representatives of the Biden administration, who had considered inviting Ukraine to NATO before the elections but abandoned these plans in light of Trump's win, argue that excluding NATO membership would be a significant mistake and "a great achievement" for Putin.
Trump's team's proposals for ending the war focus on maintaining the current status quo, which would mean leaving large parts of Ukraine under Russian control and excluding it from NATO membership. This perspective elicits both fears and hopes for stabilization, although a lack of political consensus may prevent an agreement for a long time.
Trump's stance has been met with criticism from both experts and Ukrainians themselves. The lack of decisive support for Ukraine and reluctance to involve European allies in the context of security guarantees could lead to continued uncertainty and prolongation of the conflict.
One of the main topics of discussion is the future of Ukraine's NATO membership. In conversations with European representatives, Trump's team has ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining the Alliance in the near future. This approach raises concerns about the region's future security.