U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz outlined the key principles that he said would drive upcoming peace talks between senior Trump administration officials and top Russian officials to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” Waltz stated that the war in Ukraine “cannot end on the battlefield,” according to CNN.
“Zelensky would be very wise to enter this agreement with the United States,” Waltz said.
European Security at the Forefront
Waltz emphasized that long-term military security guarantees for Ukraine should be “led by the Europeans.”
President Donald Trump and his administration have presented a vision for ending the war that appears to allow key concessions to Russia, raising fears that Ukraine could be marginalized and Europe excluded from the peace process, CNN reported.
Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff are planning to travel to Saudi Arabia for negotiations with Russia, according to two sources familiar with the plans.
Ukraine Left Out of Key Talks
Ukraine “is not informed” about the delegation’s plans, a Ukrainian official told CNN. President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously stated that the country would not accept a peace agreement reached between the U.S. and Russia without Kyiv’s involvement.
Waltz insisted that European allies have been engaged in discussions about the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He noted that Trump spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron this week and announced an upcoming meeting between Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
CNN has reached out to the White House National Security Council for details on Trump’s call with Macron.
