Former Biden White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said a private meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Rome has brought him “the first sliver of hope” he’s had in a while regarding the current administration’s approach to the war in Ukraine.
Sullivan expressed concern over Trump’s recognition of Crimea, which Russia illegally occupied and annexed, as well as his promise that Ukraine will not be part of NATO. He believes Putin is giving nothing concrete in return, but Zelenskyy’s positive comments on the meeting suggest a possible shift in Trump’s approach.
The two leaders met privately before attending Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City, their first meeting since their February Oval Office meeting devolved into a heated argument. Zelenskyy described the meeting as “good” and expressed hope for results.
Trump later took a more critical tone toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting new sanctions and implying that Putin may not want to stop the war. Sullivan hopes this marks a turning point, but warned that Trump’s past behavior has been inconsistent in recognizing Putin’s actions.
Sullivan also commented on the Trump administration’s performance so far, saying it has taken steps forward on some issues but damaged others due to poor policy decisions. The former adviser expressed concerns about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon’s internal chaos.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-zelenskyy-meeting-sliver-hope-former-national-security/story?id=121201274