Key Takeaways:

• US President Donald Trump speculates that Ukraine could "be Russian someday," aligning with Kremlin sentiments.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet US Vice President JD Vance to discuss security guarantees.
• Trump's envoy, Keith Kellogg, is set to visit Ukraine to propose a roadmap for peace ahead of the conflict's three-year anniversary.

US President Donald Trump suggested in a recent interview that Ukraine "may be Russian someday," a statement that has drawn attention as it coincides with the tensions of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, now approaching its third year. Speaking to Fox News, Trump stated, "They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday," which underscored his transactional approach to U.S. military aid to Ukraine. He indicated that any support should be offset by access to Ukraine’s natural resources, asserting, "We want the equivalent, like $500 billion worth of rare earth,” according to Al Jazeera.

This comment has resonated with the Kremlin, which claimed that a "significant part" of Ukraine desires to be part of Russia—a notion reiterated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He stated that Trump's remarks correspond with Moscow's beliefs, referring to territories annexed in 2022. As reported by Channel News Asia, Trump emphasized the need for resulting agreements to yield tangible benefits for the US, a stance that aligns with his prior administration's practices.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet Vice President JD Vance on February 16 during the Munich Security Conference. This meeting highlights Zelensky's calls for strong security guarantees from the United States, as Kyiv remains wary of agreements lacking firm military commitments, such as membership in NATO or the deployment of peacekeeping troops. Security of Ukraine, as well as economic relations, remains a pressing topic, emphasized by Zelensky in his calls for "real peace and effective security guarantees", visited by South China Morning Post.

Amid these discussions, Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg is scheduled to arrive in Ukraine on February 20, just days before the anniversary of Russia's invasion. His main role will be to draft a proposal that could help mediate further peace efforts, as the conflict intensifies with both sides executing targeted strikes on each other's critical infrastructure, such as energy facilities, which has been reported by sources like Bangkok Post and South China Morning Post.

As the conflict continues to unfold, the dynamics surrounding Trump’s promises to resolve it quickly and Zelensky's insistence on lasting security guarantees will be pivotal in the coming weeks.