February 28, 2025

They squared off in the Oval Office. After a heated exchange with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in front of the press corps, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the White House on Friday without signing a promised minerals deal and with the future of negotiations to end Russia’s war against his country in doubt. Zelenskyy “can come back when he is ready for Peace,” Trump wrote in a social media post. Where does the blow-up leave US-Ukraine relations? What does Moscow make of all this? What’s the way forward for Europe? Our experts offer their even-keeled views below.

• Daniel Fried (@AmbDanFried): Weiser Family distinguished fellow and former US assistant secretary of state for Europe
• Leslie Shedd (@leslieshedd): Nonresident fellow at the Eurasia Center and former senior advisor to members of the US Congress, and US senatorial and presidential candidates.
• Brian Whitmore (@PowerVertical): Nonresident senior fellow at the Eurasia Center and former Moscow-based foreign correspondent
• Rachel Rizzo (@RachelRizzo): Nonresident senior fellow at the Europe Center

…MORE

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