New reports show Donald Trump's administration made secret plans. These happened during his time as president. The goal was to talk directly with Russia. This was meant to help stop the war in Ukraine. However, these actions might have gone against US foreign policy. It raised worries about Ukraine's independence.
Before he became president, Trump's team asked for permission. They wanted to speak with Russian officials directly. They sent a request for a private letter. President Joe Biden refused this request. He felt it was wrong to start talks that could hurt Ukraine. The Biden White House wanted to work with allies. They also wanted to protect Ukraine's borders.
Even after being told no, Trump still wanted to talk to Russia. Reports say he used secret ways to communicate. These methods did not use normal diplomatic channels. Steve Witkoff, a friend of Trump, used his contacts in Saudi Arabia. He wanted to talk to Kirill Dmitriev. Dmitriev leads Russia's state investment fund. This shows a plan to talk to Moscow secretly.
These events also caused changes inside the US government. Keith Kellogg was a National Security Advisor. He was in charge of talking with Russia and Ukraine. Reports say he was given less power. Kellogg was against Russia. He may have been moved aside. The Pentagon also made changes to its plans.
These attempts to talk happened when the war in Ukraine was very bad. Trump has said he can end the war quickly if elected again. Some people believe him, others are not sure. The secret talks suggest he wanted to change the war's direction. These findings show possible secret talks that could go against US policy. Using secret contacts could make things unpredictable. These details help us understand US actions towards Russia.