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The US is carrying out a complete overhaul of its approach to the Ukraine conflict and relations with Russia, White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has said.
Trump, who took office last month, has reversed the Biden administration’s attempts to “isolate” Russia on the world stage, reopening direct negotiations which were suspended in 2022.
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Waltz said that Trump’s focus has been “bringing multiple wars to an end,” including the conflict in Gaza and the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.
He reiterated that the White House hopes to strike a “partnership” in the development of Ukraine’s critical minerals in return for the military and financial aid provided by Trump’s predecessor, former President Joe Biden.
Kiev should sign a deal “so the American people can see a return on this massive investment they’ve made,” Waltz said.
“We reformulate how the United States deals with Russia. We saw this first step with President Trump talking to both Putin and Zelensky,” he added.
Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone on February 12, paving the way for a meeting of teams led by Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last Tuesday. The parties discussed Ukraine and agreed to begin a gradual normalization of bilateral ties.
Ukrainian and EU leaders have since said that they felt sidelined by the White House and alarmed by Trump’s public criticism of Zelensky, whom he labeled “a dictator.” Unlike his predecessor, who squarely blamed the conflict on Russia, Trump has insisted that Zelensky was responsible for the hostilities.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Washington this week, hoping to ensure that Trump will not abandon aid to Ukraine. “We welcome their ideas for security guarantees and European leadership to take care of Europe’s security,” Waltz said.
Speaking to reporters after the talks in Riyadh, Lavrov said he saw signs that “the American side has begun to understand our position better.”
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