President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday, the 10th of February, that “serious” members of US President Donald Trump’s team would visit Ukraine for the first time this week, without specifying who exactly would come, but saying that the visit would take place ahead of the Munich Security Conference on the 14th-16th of February, amid intensified diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia, reports Reuters.
Kyiv is trying to win the White House’s support ahead of any talks with Russia to end the nearly three-year full-scale war with Russia.
“This week, some serious people from Trump’s team will come to Ukraine – even before the Munich conference,” he said in a video.
Zelenskyy also confirmed that he plans to meet US Vice President JD Vance at the Munich conference and that his team is trying to organise a meeting with Trump.
“Our teams are also working on a dialogue and a meeting with President Trump”, he said a few days after Trump announced that he would “possibly” meet with Zelenskyy this week.
The US has been Ukraine’s most important ally since Russia invaded in February 2022, and Kyiv is trying to win over the new Trump administration by offering partnerships to develop key mineral deposits.
Zelenskyy, who praised Trump’s election victory in November, said it was important for him to meet the US President in person to agree on a strategy before Trump comes to the negotiating table with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump said on Sunday that he had contacted Putin without specifying when. The Kremlin neither confirmed nor denied these contacts.
“What is important for me today is to focus on the practical work of the Ukrainian and US teams, on a common vision, preferably on the main things,” Zelenskyy said, referring to efforts to seek security guarantees from the West.
Trump has not clarified his policy on ending the war, including whether the US will continue to supply arms to Ukraine.
But two people briefed on the matter said the Trump administration plans to urge European allies to buy more American arms for Ukraine ahead of potential peace talks with Moscow.
US officials, including Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, will discuss possible arms purchases with European allies during a security conference in Munich this week, the sources said.
If formally approved, the plan would provide some comfort to Ukrainian leaders who fear that President Trump could block further aid to a country whose army is slowly losing ground to a fierce Russian offensive in the east.
Zelenskyy said on Monday that he expected “productive work” with US officials after the Munich conference.
Keith Kellogg is expected to visit Kyiv this month, after the postponement of his originally planned visit before Trump’s inauguration. Kellogg will also attend the Munich conference.