Andriy Yermak, the Chief of Staff to the Ukrainian President, announced on Wednesday that the US and Ukrainian delegations plan to meet "in the near future" to further discuss possible peace negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Recent tensions in US-Ukraine relations due to paused military aid and intelligence sharing might find a respite with this meeting, providing an opportunity to ease strained relations.
Yermak disclosed that he has communicated with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. They discussed the next steps towards achieving a "just and lasting peace" and exchanged views on security issues and positions within the framework of bilateral relations. He stated on social media platform X, "We have scheduled team meetings in the near term to continue advancing this important work."
Ukrainian President Zelensky also mentioned the upcoming US-Ukraine talks in his speech, describing them as a "positive development" and emphasizing the rapid recent progress in diplomatic activities.
Meanwhile, the US government continues to reassess its relations with Ukraine. Trump administration officials confirmed on Wednesday that the US has paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine. In response, Waltz stated that the US is evaluating all aspects of their relationship and revealed that he engaged in detailed discussions with Ukrainian officials on the next round of talks, including location, delegation composition, and specific topics.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, in an interview, pointed out that the pause in intelligence sharing aims to prompt Ukraine to reconsider its stance on peace negotiations. He mentioned that Zelensky expressed willingness this week to sign a mineral agreement and seek peace talks, which is seen as a sign of successful US pressure.
Recently, US-Ukraine relations have been strained due to military aid issues. On March 3, Trump ordered a halt to all military aid to Ukraine and has been urging a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Last Friday, Zelensky had a heated debate with Trump and US Vice President Vance at the White House, seemingly exacerbating tensions between the US and Ukraine. However, with plans to resume dialogue, whether US-Ukraine relations will ease remains to be seen.
