Key members of President Trump's national security team are in Germany to discuss an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, a high-stakes negotiation that will be an early test for the president's "America First" agenda.
Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are in Munich, where they'll meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.
Trump spoke with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, sending a message that he believes no one else should die in the nearly three-year long war.
Trump spoke glowingly of Putin, saying he believes they can work together on many different issues. Trump is expected to meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia soon.
The Trump administration has taken a hard line with Ukraine, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling global leaders in Brussels there is no path for a peace deal that will restore Ukraine's 2014 borders or give the country entrance into NATO.
"I think realism is an important part of the conversation," he said.
Trump on Wednesday would not say whether he considers Ukraine to be an "equal member" of efforts to end the war between Moscow and Kyiv.
"It's an interesting question," Trump said.
Zelensky said he and Trump had a "good and detailed discussion" and that the president communicated to him that "America's strength is enough to pressure Russia and Putin into peace."
"No one wants peace more than Ukraine," Zelensky posted on social media. "Together with the U.S., we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace. As President Trump said, let's get it done."
Still, Zelensky said the fact Trump spoke to Putin first was "not pleasant."
Zelensky has said he's open to making a deal with Trump that would give the U.S. billions of dollars worth of Ukrainian minerals in exchange for aid and protection. He met with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv about that potential deal Wednesday.
"We will do everything so that our teams can quickly agree and sign this document," he told reporters.
Zelensky has said he'll only sign a peace deal that includes guarantees of protection from the U.S., saying it's not enough to have only European buy-in.
"Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees," he told The Guardian.
Democrats and Trump's critics are warning they think the president is preparing to sell-out Ukraine to Putin.
John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser, posted on X:
"By making these and other concessions before negotiations even started, Trump has effectively surrendered to Putin on Ukraine," he said.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) said Trump and Hegseth "literally appear to be negotiating on behalf of Putin."
Centrist Republican Rep. Don Bacon (Neb.) cautioned against "rewarding the invader."
Hegseth kicked back at those allegations.
"There is no betrayal there," he said. "There is a recognition that the whole world and the United States is invested and interested in peace, a negotiated peace, as President Trump has said, stopping the killing, and so that will require both sides recognizing things they don't want to."
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