President Donald Trump has directed U.S. officials to help to facilitate a ‘lasting and durable peace’ between Ukraine and Russia, with officials touting the ‘very, very strong’ package presented for negotiations in Berlin over the weekend.
Fox News Digital participated in a briefing with U.S. officials Monday morning to discuss ongoing discussions in Berlin with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his team, and European security officials.
U.S. officials met with Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation Sunday for nearly six hours, and spent more than two hours with them Monday.
Officials said Trump’s goal is to ‘stop the Russians from moving west.’
‘President Trump’s very focused on reaching a conclusion to this conflict that really stops the Russians from from moving west,’ one official said. ‘Under President Bush, Russia moved west. Under President Obama, Russia moved west. Under President Biden, Russia move west. President Trump really wants to see this as an agreement that ends that, for good.’
Officials also discussed the economic situation for Ukraine, noting that asset manager BlackRock has assembled a team, pro bono, to begin working on the matter, in coordination with the World Bank.
‘We went extensively through all the different financial borders that Ukraine currently faces,’ an official said. ‘What President Trump is trying to do is to save Ukraine as a country and make sure that they then have the ability to be, from a military perspective, security perspective, and then make sure that they can become viable.’
The official said the Europeans involved in discussions expressed ‘several times that they see Ukraine as critical for their security,’ and that they ‘need Ukraine to be financially viable and strong in order for it to be a good partner.’
But the officials said that ‘security guarantees were the major focus of the discussions.’
‘It was a very specific, palpable conversation around how to deter any further incursions and to punish — or address — any further incursions,’ an official said. ‘I think Ukrainians would tell you, as will the Europeans, that this is the most robust set of security protocols they have ever seen.’
The official touted the current package as ‘very, very strong.’
‘Hopefully the Russians are going to look at it and say to themselves, that’s okay, because we have no intention of violating it,’ the official continued. ‘But violations are going to be addressed with this security package.’
The official added: ‘The Europeans now know that we mean business, and the Ukrainians know it too.’
The package will ensure ‘oversight’ and ‘deconfliction,’ along with ‘anything that will make the Ukrainian people feel safe.’
‘It’s just that strong,’ the official said.
Officials said that the basis of the agreement is to have ‘really, really strong Article Five guarantees.’
‘We believe the Russians, in a final deal, will accept all these things which will allow for a strong and free Ukraine,’ an official said. ‘Russia has indicated they would be open to Ukraine joining the E.U., which would be, I think, the biggest expansion of the Euro-free zone since the Berlin Wall — this would be two huge wins for them.’
Officials said that Trump has been ‘very, very clear’ that he is ‘not looking to put pressure on Ukraine.’
‘He has done his best to help define these issues and whatever decision they ultimately make on their territorial issues around these other outstanding issues will be up to them,’ the official said.
Meanwhile, the officials touted the conversations with the European community, specifically the Germans, the English, and the French.
‘I can’t say enough good things about them,’ one official said. ‘Everyone has been dug in to end this conflict. Hopefully we are on the path to peace.’
Another official said this is a ‘full U.S.-European effort to try to come up with the strongest package possible in order to see if we can go back to Russia with something that can close this out.’
The official added that Trump’s focus on the deal has been to ensure ‘robust security so that this war really ends and that this will not happen again’ and to reach an agreement to deal with ‘all of the economic issues for Ukraine so that they have a bright and prosperous future.’
The official also said Trump hopes that Russia can ‘get back into the global economy so that they have incentive not to go back to war in the future.’
The U.S. officials said Monday conversations are ongoing, but touted the ‘multiple different solutions’ they have presented that can ‘bridge the gap between the parties.’
‘We have moved considerably closer in narrowing the issues between the Ukrainians and the Russians,’ one official said. ‘It is a really good faith effort.’
‘Are we prepared to go to Russia if needed? Absolutely. Are we prepared to go to Ukraine if needed? Absolutely,’ the official said.
‘We are under instructions to do what it takes to help facilitate, on behalf of President Trump, a lasting and durable peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation,’ the official continued. ‘And we intend to do our best.’
