Trump Aides Set for Key Meeting with Zelenskyy at Munich Security Conference

PARIS — Senior advisers from President Donald Trump’s administration are scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, as both sides aim to discuss pathways to end Russia’s nearly three-year war in Ukraine.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, confirmed that the White House is finalizing details for the highly anticipated discussions, which coincide with the annual summit focusing on international security. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Kellogg will also be attending the conference and are expected to be involved in talks with Zelenskyy and his team.

“Knowing how the process works, it would probably be better for Zelenskyy if we all met together and talked through it as a group,” Kellogg said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Trump indicated he would “probably” speak with Zelenskyy during the week, emphasizing that administration officials would use the Munich gathering to assess European support for Ukraine amid its ongoing struggle against Russian aggression. Concerns have risen over whether European nations are doing enough to support Kyiv.

Meanwhile, discussions between top aides and European diplomats have been underway ahead of the conference to determine the potential support they can offer Ukraine as it continues to repel Russian forces, led by President Vladimir Putin. Trump has previously criticized Europe for not sufficiently contributing to the aid provided to Ukraine.

“We will deliver our expectation to the allies,” Kellogg stated. “When we come back from Munich — we want to deliver to the president the options, so when he does get involved in the peace process, he knows what it will look like for him.”

In a recent interview, Trump raised the possibility of a rapid end to the conflict, reiterating that conversations have been initiated with Putin’s administration. However, the details surrounding these discussions remain unspecified.

Additionally, Trump suggested that the administration is pursuing a deal to access Ukraine’s rare earth materials in exchange for continued U.S. assistance. “We have people over there today who are making a deal that as we give money, we get minerals and we get oil and we get all sorts of things,” Trump mentioned.

Kellogg reiterated that securing such a rare earth deal could facilitate ongoing U.S. aid to Ukraine. “The economics of that would allow for further support to the Ukrainians,” Kellogg asserted.

Vance is expected to lead the U.S. delegation to the security conference, marking his first overseas trip since taking office. He is scheduled to meet with key international leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where discussions on the war in Ukraine are anticipated.

As part of the broader strategy, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is also in Europe, visiting military bases and engaging with NATO allies. Hegseth emphasized the need for European nations to increase their defense expenditures in light of the current security landscape in Europe.

The urgency of the current geopolitical moment requires decisive action from both the U.S. and European nations as they navigate the complexities of the war in Ukraine, which continues to escalate.