On February 13, 2025, U.S. President Trump announced that Ukraine would participate with Russia in all future peace talks. This statement from Trump added new uncertainty to the prospects for negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. On that same day, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that Ukraine would not accept "any bilateral peace talks without Ukraine's involvement," emphasizing that European partners should also participate as a party in the negotiations.
Meanwhile, Russian presidential press secretary Peskov declared earlier on the 13th that Russia regards the United States as its main opponent in the Ukraine issue negotiations. He further noted that although Ukraine will certainly take part in peace talks, a separate bilateral negotiation mechanism between the U.S. and Russia will be established, reflecting the leading role of the U.S. and Russia in conflict resolution.
Previously, Trump had phone conversations with Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky. Trump announced on social media that the U.S. and Russia agreed to work "closely together" on ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict and would dispatch their respective teams to "immediately begin negotiations."
Trump's stance has further intensified international discussions on how to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict, introducing new variables to the upcoming peace talks.
