U.S. Tells Ukraine It Has a Seat at Negotiating Table With Russia – WSJ

MUNICH U.S. officials sought to reassure Ukraine that it would be at the negotiating table with Russia, after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that his country wouldn t agree to a peace deal imposed on it from above.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told his Ukrainian counterpart that Washington had no intention of keeping it away from talks and that it would be foolish to do so, according to diplomats who were present at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

The Trump administration s Ukraine envoy, Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, set out further details of the administration s thinking later Saturday. He said it would be for Russia and Ukraine to hold direct negotiations, and the U.S. would mediate.

He had a much tougher message for European leaders, telling them he didn t see a place for them at the negotiating table. I think that s not going to happen, Kellogg said, adding that they could have input.

U.S. officials, including national security adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, will travel to Saudi Arabia next week to start the talks with Russia over Ukraine.

via www.wsj.com