"They (Ukraine) may make a deal. They may not make a deal... But we’re going to have all this money in (Ukraine) and I say, I want it back," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
The following is the Feb. 4, 2025 edition of our Ukraine Business Roundup weekly newsletter. To get the biggest news in business and tech from Ukraine directly in your inbox, subscribe here. President Donald Trump came out on Feb. 3 saying he wanted to make a deal with Ukraine by
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine but declined to say how many times they had spoken, the New York Post reported on Feb. 8.
He told the German newspaper RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) that "first there needs to be an end to the conflict and real negotiations," and only then it would be possible to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.
"The chance of them getting their nuclear weapons back is somewhere between slim and none," Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia said.
"You will see what conditions the Russians will have for Ukraine regarding the Kursk direction when we reach a diplomatic settlement of the war's end. This was a crucial step," Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 5.
The U.S. has significant leverage over Russia in economic, military, and diplomatic terms, but questions remain over Trump's willingness to use it.
"I look forward to speaking about (Trump's) goal to end the bloody and costly war in Ukraine," Keith Kellogg said on X.
"Mr. Zelensky has big problems de jure in terms of his legitimacy, but even so, the Russian side remains open to negotiations," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed.
"We do not see (that) Russia is serious about negotiations and serious about peace," U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha.
"But we are having very good talks, very constructive talks on Ukraine. And we are talking to the Russians. We're talking to the Ukrainian leadership," Donald Trump said during a press conference in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that Ukraine's NATO accession could be delayed "for years or decades," raising the question of how the country would defend itself.
"If that is the only setup in which we can bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people, definitely, we will go for this setup ... What does it matter, my attitude to him?" Zelensky told U.K. journalist Piers Morgan on Feb. 4.
President Donald Trump declared on Feb. 3 that he was looking to "do a deal with Ukraine" by giving the war-torn country weapons and aid in return for its "rare earths." "They're going to secure what we're giving them with their rare earths and other things," Trump told reporters in
"We made a lot of progress on Russia-Ukraine," U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly said after signing the decree.
"We have meetings and talks scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia. And I think those discussions are actually going pretty well," Trump told reporters late on Feb. 2.
Editor's note: This article is an on-site version of KI Insights' The Week Ahead newsletter covering events from Feb. 3-Feb. 9. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events, delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday. On Feb. 3-8, Washington will host the 4th annual
NATO Chief Mark Rutte also insisted Ukraine was not losing the war against Russia.
Zelensky said that the first step for Ukraine is to hold a high-level meeting with Trump, before moving on to a format for peace talks that includes Ukraine, Russia, the U.S., and the EU.
Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, told Reuters that presidential and parliamentary elections, suspended since the all-out war began, "need to be done."
Update: Briefing slides can now be accessed here. KI Insights subscribers can also access the recording. Join our exclusive KI Insights Monthly Briefing to gain critical perspectives on the prospects of a peace process in Ukraine under the new US administration. We will analyze the various involved stakeholders and their
In an interview with the Associated Press, Gitanas Nauseda warned that a peace settlement without proper deterrents would allow Russia to consolidate its forces and prepare for further military action.
Earlier the same day, the Financial Times (FT) reported that EU officials are discussing the possibility of resuming purchases of Russian gas as part of a potential settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. has been "fund(ing) a stalemate" that "set (Ukraine) back a 100 years" and called for a swift resolution.
"On 100% it will happen," Calin Georgescu said in the interview with journalist Ion Cristoiu about redrawing Ukraine's borders as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, suggesting Romania could claim some of Ukraine's regions.
The proposal's advocates, including Hungarian and German officials, argue that the move could give both Russia and Europe incentives to maintain a ceasefire while stabilizing the continent's energy market, the Financial Times wrote.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is starting 2025 with a bang. In a nod to U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire for a settlement in Ukraine, the Kremlin has announced its readiness for negotiations “without preconditions.” However, the devil is in the details. For Russia, “without preconditions” translates to cutting
"Today, Putin once again proved that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and is doing everything possible to drag out the war. Every step he takes, every cynical maneuver, is aimed at making this war endless," Zelensky said on Jan. 28.
"Negotiations can be held with anyone," Putin said. "But due to his illegitimacy he has no right to sign anything. If (Zelensky) wants to take part in talks, I will delegate people who will conduct such talks. But the (key) issue is the ultimate signing of the documents."
For those with a vested interest in Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump's first week in office was a bit of a rollercoaster. His inauguration speech on Jan. 21 made no explicit mention of Ukraine or Russia's full-scale invasion, prompting some to question if either was anywhere near a priority
Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) denied on Jan. 27 that its head, Kyrylo Budanov, gave an assessment that predicted "serious consequences" for the existence of Ukraine unless negotiations began by the summer.
The proposal comes as Trump threatens to impose sanctions and tariffs on Russian exports if no deal to end the war is reached soon.
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