'Bring the killing to a close' - Trump issues instructions to his team before Ukraine-Russia talks
Photo: JD Vance, US Vice President (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has tasked American negotiators with trying to "bring the killing to a close" in the war in Ukraine, stated US Vice President JD Vance.
"We've been engaged in very, very deliberate negotiations with both the Russians and the Ukrainians. Obviously, the Russians have some red lines, the Ukrainians have some red lines. And the President has just set the entire team — from Marco Rubio on down — to try to bring the killing to a close," he said.
Vance added that this is a difficult task and reminded that Trump has repeatedly said he considered the war in Ukraine "the easiest war to solve."
"But I think that we’re making progress. I think we’re making progress with both the Russians and the Ukrainians. And we’re just going to keep working at it. Eventually, we’re either going to be successful or we’re not going to be," he emphasized.
The Vice President emphasized that Trump "has some good optimism" about the successful conclusion of the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine, the US, and Russia negotiations
Tomorrow, February 26, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov will meet with American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that this will be the first bilateral meeting with US representatives.
Earlier, on February 21, Zelenskyy spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. During the conversation, the President briefed him on preparations for the fourth round of negotiations and potential changes in the parties’ positions.
Zelensky also told Rutte that the next talks are again planned in Geneva and expected within the next 10 days.
Previously, on February 17–18, the third round of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the US, and Russia took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to Axios, the political track of the talks reached a deadlock due to the positions presented by the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky. The exact statements were not disclosed, but Russia continues to demand the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas.
Meanwhile, CNN reported that the military group of negotiators achieved some results, including "significant progress" in determining how the ceasefire would function.
