Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that influential members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration are set to visit Ukraine this week. This marks the first official visit by a Trump delegation since he assumed office.
Upcoming visit details and Zelenskyy’s plans
Although Zelenskyy did not disclose the specific individuals who would be part of the American delegation, he confirmed that their trip will occur before the Munich Security Conference scheduled for February 14.
“This week, some serious figures from President Trump’s team will be in Ukraine, even before the Munich Conference,”
Zelenskyy stated, as reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. The Ukrainian president himself plans to attend the conference and mentioned that he would have the opportunity to meet with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance during the event.
Negotiations and strategic discussions
Additionally, Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine is actively working on arranging a meeting with Trump. This follows Trump’s recent comment suggesting he would likely meet with Zelenskyy in the near future. As Kyiv seeks to strengthen its relationship with the White House, this visit is crucial prior to any forthcoming negotiations with Russia to resolve the ongoing conflict, which has persisted for nearly three years.
While Trump has voiced concerns about the continuation of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, advocating for peace negotiations, Kyiv remains firm in its position against any agreements that would require ceding territory to Russia.
In a strategic move, Zelenskyy has proposed that the U.S. could play a significant role in developing Ukraine’s natural resources, including rare earth minerals, as a means to align interests with Trump. He emphasized,
“The Americans helped the most, and therefore the Americans should earn the most,”
adding that he would like to discuss these opportunities directly with President Trump.