U.S. President Donald Trump said that discussions involving Ukraine and Russia are making progress, though he provided few details. "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.
Earlier in the day, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, suggested that both nations would need to make concessions to negotiate an end to the war.
"President Volodymyr Zelensky has already indicated he will soften his position on land," Kellogg reportedly said, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "And [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is going to have to soften his positions as well." He added that discussions would continue in the near future, calling negotiations "good for both sides."
Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out any deal that would involve ceding territory to Russia, which currently occupies around 20% of Ukraine's territory. Some of this land was taken during Russia’s 2014 invasion, while the rest was captured following its full-scale assault in 2022. However, as Ukraine faces mounting battlefield losses, pressure is growing on Zelensky to consider compromises.
The future of U.S. military aid to Ukraine remains uncertain. Kellogg noted that the previous administration provided $174 billion in assistance, a figure Trump has frequently criticized. Meanwhile, Russia has sustained heavy battlefield losses and continues to face economic strain due to military spending and Western sanctions.
Trump has promised to end the war swiftly but has not disclosed any specific plans. On Jan. 31, Kellogg claimed the former president had a "solid" strategy to end the war within months.
Tom Keatinge
(Updated: )
