RBC-Ukraine presents below the latest statements from the U.S. President and his administration regarding the war in Ukraine. This is reported by Kontrakty.UA.
Trump on the Conversation with Putin
U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation today, February 12, with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
On the social network TruthSocial, Trump shared that the discussion with the Kremlin chief was "long and very productive." They specifically talked about Russia's war against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the strength of the dollar, and other topics.
The U.S. President clarified that he and the Russian dictator "reflected" on the history of World War II, when both nations "successfully fought together," and how Russia "lost" tens of millions of people.
"Each of us spoke about the strengths of our nations and the benefits that our cooperation would bring. But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths occurring in the war between Russia and Ukraine," Trump stated.
He mentioned that he agreed with Putin to "work very closely" together and for "the appropriate teams to begin negotiations immediately." The White House leader noted that he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to inform him about the conversation.
The American leader reiterated that if he had been President of the United States in 2022, the war would not have happened, and millions of people would not have died. He thanked Putin for "the time and effort regarding the call" and for the release of American Mark Vogel.
"I believe these efforts will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon", Trump declared.
It is worth noting that yesterday, Donald Trump's representative Steve Witkoff visited Russia and, according to Fox News, had a three-hour meeting with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. During the envoy's visit to Moscow, American citizen Mark Vogel was released from Russian prison.
In response to Vogel's release, Donald Trump expressed hope that this event would mark "the beginning of relations" that would put an end to the war in Ukraine.
Prospects of NATO Membership
On February 12, during his speech at the "Ramstein" meeting, new Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth expressed the opinion that Ukraine's NATO membership "is not a realistic option" as a security guarantee to end the war.
"The U.S. does not believe that Ukraine's NATO membership is a realistic outcome of negotiations," Hegseth stated.
At the same time, the Defense Secretary noted that any "lasting peace for Ukraine must include reliable security guarantees to ensure that the war does not start again."
Hegseth believes that such security guarantees should be supported by capable European and non-European forces," which will not be covered by NATO's Article 5 (which provides for collective defense).
Moreover, the Pentagon chief once again excluded the introduction of American troops into Ukraine.
"Unrealistic" Return to 2014 Borders
In his speech at "Ramstein," Pete Hegseth urged to assess the battlefield situation "realistically." He called the return of Ukraine to its borders before the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in the eastern regions an "illusory goal," the pursuit of which would lead to the continuation of the war.
"We want a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But first, we must recognize that returning to Ukraine's borders before 2014 is an unrealistic goal. The pursuit of this illusory goal will only prolong the war and cause even more suffering," the American official stated.
Europe's Responsibility for Military Aid to Ukraine
The head of the Pentagon reiterated at the Contact Group meeting his earlier assertion that Europe must become the main "security guarantor" for Ukraine, providing more military support in the future and expanding arms production.
According to him, "defending European security must be an imperative for European NATO members," and Europe "must provide the majority of future lethal and non-lethal assistance to Ukraine."
"This means sacrificing more ammunition and equipment, leveraging comparative advantages, expanding your defense industrial base, and importantly, aligning with your citizens regarding the threats Europe faces," Hegseth emphasized.
He added that due to "harsh strategic realities," the U.S. cannot currently focus on European security. The priority for the U.S. is to deter the war with China in the Pacific, so European allies must take the initiative in defending Ukraine.
Engaging Russia in Negotiations
The U.S. Secretary of Defense stated that the "Ramstein" meeting is taking place at a critical moment.
"The bloodshed must stop, and this war must end," Hegseth said before the meeting.
He emphasized that White House leader Donald Trump wants to end Russia's war against Ukraine through diplomatic means and intends to "bring both Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table."
One option for compelling Russia to negotiate, the Pentagon chief believes, is lowering energy prices and imposing sanctions against Russia in this area.
"To ensure effective diplomacy and lower energy prices that fund the Russian military machine, President Trump is unleashing American energy production and encouraging other countries to do the same. Lowering energy prices combined with more effective application of energy sanctions will help bring Russia to the negotiating table," he explained.
Announcement of "Rare Earth" Negotiations
Donald Trump announced the visit of U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Ukraine this week. During the trip, a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected, likely focusing on "rare earth" metals.
According to Bloomberg, Bessent intends to visit Ukraine this week as part of initial negotiations to secure U.S. access to critically important minerals. This follows Trump's statement that his administration wants to strike a deal with Ukraine for access to resources in exchange for assistance in defense against Russian invasion.
Announcing Bessent's visit to Ukraine, the White House leader emphasized: "This war must and will end soon – too many deaths and destruction. The U.S. has spent billions of dollars worldwide, but the results have been limited. When America is strong, there is peace in the world."
Rubio on the Path to Ending the War and the Munich Conference
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will participate as part of the American delegation at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) from February 14 to 16. Ahead of this, he stated that the main topic of the conference will be the war in Ukraine. He plans to discuss this issue with European allies and the Ukrainian side.
"It is in everyone's interest for this war to end, so we will obviously discuss this with foreign ministers and other leaders there (in Munich – ed.)," the U.S. Secretary of State emphasized.
Marco Rubio previously assured that the U.S. seeks to end the war in Ukraine and establish a just peace, but according to him, there is still a long way to go to achieve this goal.
"We would like this war in Ukraine to end with a just outcome, a just peace, a lasting peace," he states.
At the same time, Rubio expresses the view that "this is a complex conflict, and it is not just about ending it."
"But it is about a just conclusion, in which Ukraine remains a sovereign and independent country, and we can put an end to this very costly and destructive conflict. We are still far from that. It will not be easy," the Secretary of State said.