Trump team makes confused start to Ukraine diplomacy

WASHINGTON – This was a disorienting week for those anxious over how US President Donald Trump’s administration will fulfil its vow to end the Ukraine war.

As Mr Trump took his first steps towards diplomacy over the nearly three-year conflict, comments from his top officials left many questioning what he has planned for the biggest security crisis to face Europe in decades.

Mr Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone on Feb 12 and tasked officials with kick-starting negotiations, adding that a summit with Mr Putin in Saudi Arabia was likely.

The calls blindsided European allies, who were already wondering what to make of comments from Mr Trump’s Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Mr Hegseth told Nato allies earlier on Feb 12 that it was unrealistic for Ukraine to join the alliance as part of a negotiated settlement with Russia, that Kyiv’s hopes of restoring its 2014 borders were an “illusionary goal” and the US would not send troops as part of a security force in Ukraine.

He appeared to backtrack on his own remarks the next day, telling a press conference that “everything is on the table” for Ukraine war negotiations.

On Feb 14, Vice-President J.D. Vance sowed more confusion, suggesting in a Wall Street Journal interview that the US would reserve options for pressuring Moscow, including sending US troops to Ukraine, which would be a major shift from former president Joe Biden’s policy of keeping American forces off the battlefield there.

Mr Vance later said on social media platform X that the Journal had twisted his words and added that “American troops should never be put into harm’s way where it doesn’t advance American interests and security.”

Ambassador Daniel Fried, a retired US diplomat now with the Atlantic Council think-tank, said while the administration’s messaging had been contradictory, officials left themselves room to negotiate an acceptable outcome with Russia.

“They’re all over the map, they have trouble getting a disciplined line, but they haven’t ruled anything out. They’ve covered the position in a cloud of ambiguity and uncertainty,” he said.

The administration’s comments left the impression among some European allies that the Trump administration was making concessions to Mr Putin before any negotiations had taken place.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Feb 14 called the administration’s approach “clumsy” and “a mistake”.

Mr Putin had “not budged an inch” on his negotiating position, so it was not in the West’s interests to do so, he said at the Munich Security Conference, where defence officials and diplomats gathered this week.

“It would have been much better to talk about

possible Nato membership

and territorial changes at the negotiating table,” Mr Pistorius said.

Republican US Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, slammed what he called a “rookie mistake” by Mr Hegseth to apparently cede Ukraine’s border before negotiations have begun, adding that he was “puzzled” and “disturbed” by the comments.

“Everybody knows... and people in the administration know you don’t say before your first meeting what you will agree to and what you won’t agree to,” Mr Wicker told Politico on Feb 14.

There were also questions over who would carry out Mr Trump’s Ukraine policy. In a social media post he named negotiators – including Mr Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy – who flew to Russia on Feb 11 to conduct a prisoner swop, but left out Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg.

The White House later clarified that Mr Kellogg was still involved in Ukraine policy.

Mr Fried said that despite the confused messaging, Mr Trump’s priorities on Ukraine were coming into view and could lead to a “good outcome” for Ukraine.

Those priorities appeared to be securing a ceasefire quickly, that Ukraine must have security guarantees and that European rather than US troops would be on the ground to secure the peace, he added.

“A good outcome means the war stops, 80 per cent of Ukraine is free and there are security guarantees for Ukraine sufficient that Russia won’t start the war again. That is a strategic victory for Ukraine.” REUTERS