Quotes
If it’s real negotiations — and we’re not there yet — but if that were to happen, Ukraine will have to be involved, because they’re the one that were invaded, and the Europeans will have to be involved because they have sanctions on Putin and Russia as well, and they’ve contributed to this effort,
Rubio said
It’s indeed like Easter, Hanukkah, Christmas, (the) birthday of Vladimir Putin and everything is happening in one day,
Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, told CNN’s Bianna Golodryga on SundayThe next few weeks and days will determine whether it’s serious or not,
he said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on SundayWe’re moving along. We’re trying to get a peace with Russia, Ukraine, and we’re working very hard on it.”
The president on Sunday raised the prospect of a meeting with Putin “very soon.” ... He told reporters in FloridaWhen President Trump says as part of a deal there will have to be European troops, we will have to be asked to supply them, so sooner or later we will have to be involved.”
But he added.jpg)
One way or another, of course, Ukraine will participate in the negotiations, ... There will be a bilateral Russian-American track of this dialogue, and a track that will be related to Ukraine's involvement."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state-controlled TV on Thursday, per Reuters ... adding,
We know for sure that he is preparing steps on the territory of Belarus this year. It can happen in summer, maybe in the beginning, maybe in the end of summer. I don't know when he prepares it, but it will happen."
Zelensky told Welker in UkrainianNo, we have intelligence, we have documents that they are preparing trained mission of a big number of soldiers on the territory of Belarus. We are just sharing that there is a high risk that he can do the same, maybe not, god bless not, and maybe before it, President Trump and the allies will stop him."
The Ukrainian president responded in EnglishYou have actual intelligence that President Putin is planning to attack NATO countries?"
Welker then asked
As we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine...We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other's Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately."
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this week following his phone call with PutinI will believe that the United States will not take its forces, its contingents from Europe, because that will severely weaken NATO on the European continent. Putin definitely counts on that,
the Ukrainian president addedThere are risks that this can be Poland and Lithuania because we believe that Putin will wage war against NATO."
He continued
Hegseth is going to be a great defense secretary, although he wasn't my choice for the job...But he made a rookie mistake in Brussels and he's walked back some of what he said but not that line."
Senator Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican and chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Politico on Friday
To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday in BrusselsThe Russian Federation does not want to end the war and continues to escalate global tensions. That is why U.S. military support is crucial for Ukraine. Only in this way can we achieve a just and lasting peace."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on FridayIt's certainly clear that what's happening is good news. It's drastically different from all we've seen before,
On Russian state television, Mikheyev said about the U.S.'s shifting stance towards Russia and Ukraine ... according to a video translated by journalist Julia DavisIf you compare the rhetoric of Trump's team with Biden's rhetoric, it's worlds apart, ... Now, there is no isolation, even from the American side."
he said, addingWe should make this thought clear for the Europeans, now we can actually strike Brussels, London and Paris...We can forget about Article 5 and forget about Americans stepping up to help."
He then referenced the Trump administration's stance on U.S. forces and NATO's Article 5,The US administration is ready to hand Russia a win in its brutal war against Ukraine. That’s the only conclusion we can make,
the paper said in a blunt editorial
A thick fog now surrounds Washington’s intentions; between the public statements of Vance and the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, and the various interviews followed by denials, contradictory positions have multiplied,
she said