President Donald Trump has announced a three-way meeting between US, Russian, and Ukrainian officials at a security conference in Munich to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. However, Russia has not officially confirmed its attendance, and a senior Ukrainian official stated that “talks with Russians in Munich” were “not expected”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet with US Vice-President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Munich. Zelensky’s goals for the meeting are clear: to ensure the US continues to support Ukraine and prioritize its best interests in negotiations to end the war.

The US stance is less certain. Vance may reassure Zelensky that Ukraine will be involved in peace negotiations, but it seems Ukraine may have a junior role. The US may also deliver a blunt message: Ukraine will need to give up territory currently under Russian control to end the war, and US military aid may be unlikely to continue.

The conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and millions of displaced Ukrainian civilians. The meeting in Munich may be a crucial step towards resolving the conflict, but its outcome remains uncertain.