Trump Speaks With Putin, Says Talks To End Ukraine War Will Start ‘Immediately’
February 12
President Trump said on Wednesday that he had a “lengthy and highly productive phone call” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine would begin “immediately.”
The president wrote on Truth Social that he and Putin agreed “to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine.”
Trump added, “We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now.”
Trump said he directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor John Ratcliffe, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations. Missing from his list was Ret. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who Trump appointed as the envoy to the conflict.
“Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost!” Trump said. He has repeatedly said the real death toll in Ukraine is in the millions, much higher than what’s been reported.
Read more at Trump Speaks With Putin, Says Talks To End Ukraine War Will Start ‘Immediately’ – News From Antiwar.com
Pentagon Chief Casts Doubt on Ukraine’s NATO Gamble As Peace Talks Loom
Feb 12, 2025
The United States holds the view that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not a feasible outcome of any potential negotiation with Russia, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.
“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said during a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting.
Returning to Ukraine’s Pre-2014 Borders Unrealistic Objective
The idea of returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is unrealistic and pursuing this goal will only cause more suffering, Hegseth said.
“We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, but we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering,” Hegseth said.
Security Guarantees for Ukraine Must Be Backed by European, Non-European Troops
Any future security assurances for Ukraine need to be supported by capable European and non-European forces, which should be deployed under a non-NATO mission and not fall under the purview of Article Five, Pete Hegseth said.
“Any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops. If these troops are deployed as peacekeepers to Ukraine at any point, they should be deployed as part of a non-NATO mission, and they should not be covered under Article Five,” Hegseth said.
Read more at Pentagon Chief Casts Doubt on Ukraine’s NATO Gamble As Peace Talks Loom
Zelensky: Europe Can’t Guarantee Ukraine’s Security Without the US
February 11, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said European countries could not guarantee Ukraine’s security without the US in an apparent response to Trump administration officials saying Europe should take the lead on the conflict.
“There are voices which say that Europe could offer security guarantees without the Americans, and I always say no,” Zelensky said in an interview with The Guardian published on Tuesday. “Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees.”
US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said in a recent interview that the Europeans “have to own this conflict going forward.” During the transition period, President Trump reportedly suggested that European troops should be deployed to Ukraine to enforce a potential future cease-fire.
Zelensky previously said that 200,000 Western troops should be deployed as peacekeepers, a deployment he said must include US soldiers. Russia has strongly rejected the idea of any peacekeeping force that’s outside of a UN mandate and said any foreign force would be considered a legitimate target.
Read more at Zelensky: Europe Can’t Guarantee Ukraine’s Security Without the US – News From Antiwar.com
Trump Continues to Push Rare Earth Deal With Ukraine, Says They ‘May Be Russian Some Day’
The president says he wants $500 billion in minerals
February 11, 2025
President Trump said in an interview that aired on Monday night that Ukraine “may be Russian some day” when pushing his idea for a rare earth mineral deal in exchange for US support.
“[Ukraine] has tremendously valuable land in terms of rare earth, in terms of oil and gas, in terms of other things. I want to have our money secured because we’re spending hundreds of billions of dollars and, you know, they may make a deal, they may not make a deal, they may be Russian some day, or they may not be Russian some day,” Trump said.
The president said that he told the Ukrainians that he wants the equivalent of about $500 billion in rare earth minerals. Trump insisted Ukraine had “essentially agreed” to the idea. “I said to them, we have to get something, we can’t continue to pay this money,” Trump said.
Ukrainian President Volodomy Zelensky has said he’s open to Trump’s idea. “If we are talking about a deal, then let’s do a deal, we are only for it,” he said last week.
Read more at Trump Continues to Push Rare Earth Deal With Ukraine, Says They ‘May Be Russian Some Day’ – News From Antiwar.com
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