UK willing to offer peacekeeping troops – DW – 02/17/2025

US President Donald Trump said he could meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin “very soon.”

“No time set, but it could be very soon,” Trump told reporters Sunday after a flight on Air Force One when asked if there was an update on a possible upcoming meeting between the two leaders in Saudi Arabia.

The US president said his team has been talking “long and hard” with Russian officials, including his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who the president said recently met with Putin for about three hours.

“I think he wants to stop fighting,” Trump said of Putin, adding that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “wants to end it too.”

Meanwhile, the Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing unnamed sources, reported that talks on Ukraine with the participation of the Russian delegation are expected to begin on Tuesday in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to Saudi Arabia on Monday, as part of a Middle East tour he started this weekend in Israel.

“We have much more confidence, we are not alone,” explained Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to the astonishment of high-ranking officials gathered for the DW Conflict Zone discussion, “Peace Through Strength: A Plan for Ukraine,” near the close of this year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC). 

The discussion, hosted by DW’s Sarah Kelly, offered an unusual situation, seating five participants in a circle entirely surrounded by interested attendees, many of them prominent political figures.

Those taking part in the discussion were the Ukrainian foreign minister, his Polish and British counterparts Radoslav Sikorski and David Lammy, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene and US Special Envoy to Ukraine General Keith Kellogg — who was afforded the most attention during the event.

He surprised guests with an unexpected statement when taking the floor, telling those gathered that defining terms is key to productive dialogue as well as for allies seeking to forge a “comprehensive plan” for Ukraine. Kellogg said that although the Trump administration often says “America first,” it has never said “America alone.”

Read more: US Special Envoy to Ukraine: No clear answers for Ukrainians

Key European leaders will meet in Paris on Monday to discuss “the situation in Ukraine” and “security in Europe,” according to the French presidency.

The leaders of Germany, Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark are expected to attend the meeting ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council representing the 27 nations of the European Union, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will also attend.

“Because of the acceleration of the Ukrainian issue and as a result of what the US leaders are saying, there is a need for Europeans to do more, better and in a coherent way for our collective security,” said an aide from President Emmanuel Macron’s office.

European officials have been shocked in recent days by the US President Donald Trump administration’s moves on Ukraine, Russia, and European defense.

Foremost among their fears is that they can no longer count on US military protection and that Trump will try to strike a peace deal with Putin that undermines Kyiv and the broader security of the European continent.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was ready to send troops to Ukraine if necessary after a ceasefire to ensure the security of Britain and Europe.

“I do not say that lightly,” Starmer wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, saying he felt “very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way.”

“But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country,” he added.

Starmer confirmed he would be attending a high-level meeting in Paris on Monday to address growing concerns about US efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

He also said he would meet US President Donald Trump “in the coming days,” adding that Britain had a “unique role” to play in ensuring Europe and the United States worked closely together.

This blog will bring you the latest coverage, analysis and multimedia content related to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

European leaders on Monday are expected to meet in Paris to discuss Ukraine, as representatives from the US and Russia are slated to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to negotiate on the conflict.