Zelensky, Vance expected to meet at Munich Security Conference

Editor's note: The article was updated with a confirmation from the Presidential Office.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Vice President JD Vance may meet during the Munich Security Conference later this week, the Presidential Office confirmed for the Kyiv Independent on Feb. 9.

The news comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump's push for a quick resolution of Russia's all-out war against Ukraine that nears its three-year mark.

The U.S. delegation to the top European security conference, taking place between Feb. 14 and 16, 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."

The retired general later denied media reports that he was planning to unveil Trump's strategy for ending the war during the event.

On Feb. 7, the U.S. president revealed he aims to meet Zelensky in Washington the following week. He also recently said that the U.S. wants access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for aid. Zelensky has responded that Kyiv is open to mining deals with partners.

Trump has also allegedly spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war. The U.S. president told the New York Post he had a concrete plan to end the war, adding, "I hope it’s fast. Every day, people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing."

‘We need to recoup those costs’ — Mike Waltz on future of US aid to Ukraine

U.S. aid to Kyiv “is going to be a partnership with the Ukrainians in terms of their rare earths, their natural resources, and their oil and gas, and also buying ours,” Trump’s national security adviser said on Feb. 9.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert