AP Interview: Zelenskyy says excluding Ukraine from US-Russia talks about war is ‘very dangerous’
Associated PressFeb 02
Trump Says Russia-Ukraine Discussions 'Going Pretty Well'
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Above: US Pres. Donald Trump speaks to the press upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Feb. 2, 2025, as he returns to the White House from Florida. Image copyright: Jim Watson/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
US Pres. Donald Trump, speaking to reporters late on Sunday, said his administration has held talks with various parties including Russia and Ukraine, adding that he thinks "discussions are actually going pretty well," without elaborating.
The remarks came after Trump, speaking with reporters on Friday, said the US has held "very serious" talks with Moscow about ending the war, prompting Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy to describe US-Russia talks without Ukrainian participation as "very dangerous" in an interview with the Associated Press the following day.
Meanwhile, though details of talks remain scarce, Keith Kellogg, Trump's envoy for Russia-Ukraine talks, said in a Reuters interview that as part of an initial truce agreement, the US wants Ukraine to hold presidential and parliamentary elections.
The Spin
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Ukraine has held general talks with the US about what a peace deal might look like. However, in-person talks need to be held so that Ukraine's positions can be properly accounted for, including the need for adequate security guarantees so that Russia cannot later invade again.
Pro-Russia narrative
While Russia remains open to peace talks, Ukraine's participation is uncertain as Zelenskyy has made it illegal for negotiations to be conducted with Putin. Ukraine will have to clear this obstacle before progress on other issues can be made.
