US President Donald Trump's approach to ending Russia's almost three-year-long war against Ukraine has left European allies and Ukrainian officials concerned they are being sidelined by the new US administration's plans for direct negotiations over the war in Ukraine with Russia. Trump is sending US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russian counterparts, according to a US official who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. It's unclear to what extent Ukrainian or European officials will be represented in discussions expected to take place in Riyadh in the coming days. Rubio says the US sees these talks as early stage and are a chance to see how serious the Kremlin is about peace. In a bid to ease tensions, Rubio also said on Sunday that Ukraine and Europe would be part of any "real negotiations" to end Moscow's war, downplaying European concerns of being cut out of the initial talks between Russia and the United States. In an exchange with reporters Sunday, Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "will be involved" in the negotiations. Trump offered no further explanation. The outreach comes after comments by top Trump advisers this past week, including Vice President JD Vance, raised new concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals that the Republican administration is intent on a quick resolution to the conflict with minimum input from Europe. "Decades of the old relationship between Europe and America are ending," Zelensky said in an address Saturday at the Munich Security Conference. "From now on, things will be different, and Europe needs to adjust to that." White House officials on Sunday pushed back against the notion that Europe has been left out of the conversation. Trump spoke by phone in recent days with French President Emmanuel Macron and is expected to consult with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week. Starmer announced on Sunday that the UK is ready and willing to put troops on the ground in Ukraine to help guarantee its security as part of a peace deal. The British premier is also set to visit Trump in Washington later in February. Trump says he's fond of Starmer, adding that the two of them "get along very well". Starmer is now in a unique position and can serve as a bridge between Washington and Brussels. Rubio – who was in Israel on Sunday as he makes his first tour of the Middle East – says the US is taking a careful approach as it re-engages with Moscow after the Biden administration's clampdown on contacts with the Kremlin following the February 2022 invasion. It was not immediately clear whether any Ukrainians would take part in the upcoming Riyadh talks. A Ukrainian delegation was in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to pave the way for a possible visit by Zelensky, according to Ukraine's economy minister. Zelensky traveled to the United Arab Emirates late on Sunday as momentum grows for potential peace talks, though there has been no confirmation from Kyiv on whether or not Zelensky or his staff will participate in the Riyadh talks as of yet. — Euronews
