Ukrainian diplomats are actively preparing for important negotiations with Donald Trump's team, aiming to reduce disagreements regarding the terms of a peaceful resolution to the war with Russia.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, has held a series of meetings with representatives of the new administration of the elected US president. On December 4, a meeting took place between the Ukrainian president's assistant and Keith Kellogg, Trump’s future special representative for Russia and Ukraine, as well as Mike Waltz, the new national security advisor. The discussion also included the newly elected Vice President JD Vance.
It is known that Kellogg has previously expressed support for the White House's efforts to provide additional weapons to Ukraine. He believes this will give the US leverage over Moscow during the upcoming negotiations. However, the issue of Ukraine joining NATO, which is a key security element for Kyiv, did not garner much interest from Trump’s team.
The Ukrainian side pointed out that peace must be stable, not temporary.
"But it must be a sustainable peace... An unstable, temporary peace does not serve either American or Ukrainian interests," said a person familiar with the Ukrainian perspective.
Additionally, sources indicate that Trump’s advisors discussed possible scenarios for peace agreements that recognize the occupation of parts of Ukraine but do not foresee Ukraine's NATO membership.
Lucian Kim, a Ukraine analyst at the International Crisis Group, an organization focused on conflict resolution, stated that Ukrainians are presenting their maximalist position in the potential negotiations.
Source: wsj.