KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — As Ukraine approached the three-year mark of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the rustic’s hoped-for trail to a good and lasting peace was once upended in a question of days by means of the management of U.S. President Donald Trump.Kyiv had benefited from years of staunch toughen by means of its allies in the USA and Europe which had equipped a very powerful army and monetary toughen to lend a hand protect towards Moscow’s grinding incursions.But if Trump held a long telephone name with Russian President Vladimir Putin ultimate week — undoing years of U.S. coverage to isolate the Russian chief over his aggression — it was once taken as a sign in Kyiv and different Ecu capitals that their alliance to comprise Moscow was once fraying.Right here’s a timeline of occasions:
Wednesday, Feb. 12On their 90-minute name, Trump and Putin agreed to start out negotiations to finish the battle, a transfer that was once met with jubilation in Russia however which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned can be “ very unhealthy ” if Ukraine had been excluded from talks. Even supposing Trump spoke to Zelenskyy instantly after the Putin name, U.S. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned that day that NATO club for Ukraine, one thing Kyiv believes would give protection to the rustic and Europe from long term Russian assaults, was once unrealistic. He steered Ukraine must abandon hopes of successful all its territory again, a point of view this is remarkably just about Moscow’s.
The breakneck velocity of Trump’s transformation of U.S. coverage towards Ukraine and Russia left many war-weary Ukrainians feeling that they had been being omitted of the dialog on their long term, and fearing {that a} deal pressured by means of Washington and Moscow would lead to misplaced territory and vulnerability to long term Russian aggression.
Friday, Feb. 14European leaders had their first likelihood to fulfill with individuals of the brand new Trump management on the Munich Safety Convention in Germany, the place they was hoping to realize readability on Trump’s way to the battle. However leaders had been shocked as senior U.S. officers together with Vice President JD Vance lambasted Ecu countries, gave blended alerts on toughen for Kyiv and steered Europe would no longer be on the desk for negotiations on Ukraine.All over extremely expected talks between Vance and Zelenskyy in Munich, the Ukrainian chief informed Vance that his nation wanted safety promises as a precondition for attractive in any talks with Moscow to finish the battle. Zelenskyy additionally mentioned he’d ordered his ministers to not log out on a proposed settlement to present the USA get admission to to Ukraine’s uncommon earth minerals, a key a part of his talks with Vance. Ukrainian officers mentioned the U.S. proposal didn’t be offering any particular safety promises in go back for get admission to to Ukraine’s huge reserves of crucial minerals which might be used within the aerospace, protection and nuclear industries. A senior White Area legit described Zelenskyy’s refusal as “short-sighted.” Sunday, Feb. 16On the overall day of the convention, French President Emmanuel Macron started rallying Ecu leaders to support their toughen for Ukraine, along with his overseas minister saying an emergency “running assembly” in Paris to evaluate the continent’s subsequent steps. In the meantime, amid issues that U.S. toughen for Kyiv was once faltering, a bunch of Ecu nations was once quietly running on a plan to ship troops into Ukraine to lend a hand implement any long term peace agreement with Russia.
Tuesday, Feb. 18U.S. and Russian officers met for talks in Saudi Arabia’s capital, sidestepping Kyiv and its Ecu backers. The 2 nations agreed to paintings in combination to finish the battle in Ukraine and to strengthen diplomatic and financial ties, an bizarre about-face in U.S. overseas coverage.But the 3 U.S. principals on the assembly in Riyadh — Secretary of State Marco Rubio, nationwide safety adviser Mike Waltz and Trump’s particular Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff — maintained that the four-hour dialogue was once aimed principally at assessing Russia’s seriousness about in need of a peace deal.All 3 mentioned publicly that no particular proposals have been put at the desk, and that it remained to be observed if the Russians had been prepared to barter in excellent religion.
In addition they rejected assertions that both Ukraine or the Europeans had been being excluded, noting that even supposing they weren’t found in Riyadh, Trump, Vance and Rubio had all spoken with each Zelenskyy and Ecu officers who can be concerned if and when peace talks in truth get started. Zelenskyy brushed aside the talks, announcing they might “yield no effects” within the absence of Ukrainian participation. He postponed a plan to talk over with Riyadh the following day to steer clear of any linkage of his go back and forth with the U.S.-Russia assembly.Trump confirmed little endurance for Kyiv’s objections to being sidelined in Riyadh, and ramped up inflammatory rhetoric that brought about anger and alarm in Ukraine and perceived to contradict the assurances that Rubio, Waltz and Witkoff had endeavored to supply.
Talking from his Mar-a-Lago hotel, Trump made the jarring recommendation that Ukraine itself was once answerable for beginning the battle that has price tens of hundreds of Ukrainian lives, and criticized Zelenksyy for Ukraine delaying elections as a result of the invasion, in keeping with the Ukrainian Charter. Wednesday, Feb. 19Trump’s feedback, and a Wednesday submit on social media that referred to as Zelenskyy a “dictator,” resulted in Zelenskyy announcing that one of the president’s claims had been “disinformation” that originated in Russia, and that he would love Trump’s staff “to be extra fair.” Trump, Zelenskyy mentioned, resides in a Russian-made “disinformation house.”As family members between the 2 leaders eroded, something remained at the horizon that some observers concept may just serve to decrease the temperature at the disagreements between Washington and Kyiv: Trump’s particular envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Ret. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, arrived in Ukraine’s capital by means of teach Wednesday morning for discussions with Zelenskyy and different officers. Kellogg has lengthy been Trump’s best adviser on protection problems. He was once because of discuss with Zelenskyy about Trump’s efforts to finish the battle, and the Ukrainian chief had up to now mentioned he regarded ahead to explaining what was once taking place in Ukraine to Kellogg and accompanying him to peer the entrance line. Thursday, Feb. 20A information convention that was once set to observe a gathering between Zelenskyy and Kellogg was once impulsively cancelled on the request of the U.S. delegation. Friday, Feb. 21In a complimentary gesture that stood in stark distinction with the tone of the previous days, Kellogg wrote on X that he’d had a “lengthy and intense day with the senior management of Ukraine.”He mentioned he’d had certain discussions with “the embattled and brave chief of a country at battle and his proficient nationwide safety staff.” Nonetheless, Trump persisted to put into Zelenskyy, grumbling {that a} talk over with to Kyiv ultimate week by means of U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was once “a wasted go back and forth” after the Ukrainian aspect declined to comply with a U.S. proposal to acquire income on uncommon earth minerals. On the identical time, Waltz, Trump’s nationwide safety adviser, expressed self belief that Zelenskyy would seal a unprecedented earths deal. “Right here’s the base line. President Zelenskyy goes to signal that deal,” Waltz mentioned.Trump, talking to “The Brian Kilmeade Display” on Fox Information radio, additionally brushed aside Zelenskyy’s lawsuits about no longer being integrated within the Saudi talks. He voiced sure bet that Putin sought after to strike a deal. “He doesn’t must make a deal,” Trump mentioned of Putin. “As a result of if he sought after, he would get the entire nation.”___Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this document. ___Follow AP’s protection of the battle in Ukraine at
