European leaders convened at the Munich Security Conference to seek clarity on the U.S.'s evolving approach. Discussions between Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted Ukraine's need for security guarantees as a precondition for peace talks with Moscow. A proposed agreement to grant the U.S. access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals was met with resistance from Zelenskyy, who demanded security assurances in return. Simultaneously, a group of European nations explored plans to potentially deploy troops to Ukraine to enforce any future peace settlement.

U.S. and Russian officials engaged in talks in Saudi Arabia, excluding Ukrainian and European representatives, to discuss ending the war and improving diplomatic ties. Despite assurances from U.S. officials that these talks were aimed at assessing Russia's seriousness about peace, Zelenskyy dismissed the meeting due to Ukraine's exclusion. Trump's subsequent remarks, blaming Ukraine for the war and criticizing Zelenskyy, further strained relations, leading to accusations of spreading Russian disinformation. Efforts to de-escalate tensions included a visit to Kyiv by Trump's special envoy, Keith Kellogg, for discussions with Zelenskyy.

Trump's remarks blaming Ukraine and criticizing Zelenskyy exacerbated the strain in US-Ukraine relations. This divergence in diplomatic approaches signals a notable trend in U.S. foreign policy, potentially reshaping alliances and security strategies in the region.