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Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect comments from a Ukrainian official denying the country will participate in talks between the U.S. and Russia on Feb. 14 in Munich. An earlier version of this story reported that Ukraine will participate in a meeting with Russian and U.S. representatives on Feb. 14, as per U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on the matter.
A Ukrainian official on Feb. 13 denied Ukraine will participate in a joint meeting between U.S. and Russian representatives in Munich after U.S. President Donald Trump said that talks will be held on Feb. 14.
"Right now, there’s nothing on the table. No talks with the Russians are planned in Munich," Dmytro Lytvyn, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky in a statement.
"Ukraine’s position remains unchanged. Ukraine must first speak with America. Europe must be part of any serious conversation for a genuine and lasting peace. Only a coordinated, unified position should be on the table for talks with the Russians. We don’t meet with Russians at an empty table," Lytvyn added.
Earlier in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that U.S. representatives will attend a meeting with their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts during the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 14.
"They're having a meeting in Munich tomorrow. Russia is going to be there with our people. Ukraine is also invited," Trump told reporters during a news conference in Oval Office. "Not sure who exactly is going to be there from any country but high level people from Russia, from Ukraine, and from the United States," he claimed.
No further details were provided on the expected meeting. It is not immediately clear if the United States is still expected to hold hold talks with Russia on Feb. 14.
Later in the day during a separate news conference, Trump once again claimed that Ukraine and Russia will participate in a joint meeting, despite the denial from Kyiv.
"Tomorrow there is a meeting in Munich and next week there is a meeting in Saudi Arabia. Not with myself or President Putin but with top officials, and Ukraine will be a part of it too," Trump further claimed.
Trump's comments to reporters comes a day after he held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and agreed that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine will start "immediately."
Shortly after Trump’s call with Putin, he and Zelensky had held a phone call.
Trump's comments come amid reports that Zelensky and U.S. Vice President JD Vance are expected to meet during the top European security conference, taking place between Feb. 14 and 16. The U.S. delegation will also include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg.
Though the details of the expected Vance-Zelensky meeting have not been disclosed, Kellogg previously said that U.S. officials would talk in Munich about Trump's "goal to end the bloody and costly war in Ukraine."
Russia was not previously expected to attend talks at the security conference.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media on Feb. 13 that Russia has started forming a group for talks with the United States, including on the war with Ukraine.
He said Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed during telephone talks to instruct aides to prepare for a face-to-face meeting immediately.
Asami Terajima
