Top Zelenskyy Aide: Ukraine-US Meeting in 'Near Future'

A high-level meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials is scheduled for the near future to advance peace discussions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's top aide said Wednesday, The Hill reported.

Officials from Kyiv and Washington plan to meet soon to continue discussions on peace efforts in Eastern Europe. The development follows a turbulent period in U.S.-Ukraine relations, including a pause in intelligence sharing and a suspension of aid.

Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's chief of staff, confirmed the upcoming meeting after speaking with U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz.

"We also exchanged views on security issues and the alignment of positions within the framework of bilateral relations between Ukraine and the United States," Yermak posted on social media platform X. "We have scheduled a meeting for our teams in the near future to continue this important work."

"Everyone can see how fast diplomatic events are developing. Today, our Ukrainian and U.S. teams have started working on a meeting," Zelenskyy said in a Wednesday address. "There is a positive movement."

The announcement comes as the Trump administration confirmed that the U.S. has temporarily halted intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.

Waltz explained the decision, saying, "We have taken a step back and are pausing and reviewing all aspects of this relationship."

Despite the pause, Waltz said discussions remain ongoing.

"I just got off the phone before I walked out here with my counterpart, the Ukrainian national security adviser," he said. "We are having good talks on location for the next round of negotiations, on delegations, on substance."

CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated in an interview that the intelligence-sharing pause was meant to encourage Ukraine to reassess its approach to peace negotiations.

"I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause that allowed that to happen, I think, will go away. And I think we'll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, as we have to push back on the aggression that's there, but to put the world in a better place for these peace negotiations to move forward," Ratcliffe said.

The Trump administration has also temporarily suspended aid to Ukraine as part of its broader relations reassessment. The president has expressed interest in brokering a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, having spoken with Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin in January.

Tensions between Washington and Kyiv flared after a meeting last Friday between Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office ended abruptly. Ukraine's delegation left early, and a scheduled press conference was canceled.

Zelenskyy later described the meeting as "regrettable" but reaffirmed Ukraine's willingness to engage in peace talks and sign a minerals agreement.

"Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way," Zelenskyy posted on X Tuesday. "It is time to make things right."

He added, "We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive."

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