US Vice President JD Vance called for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on ending the grinding three-year war.
"We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two. And so that's what we focus on," Vance told the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington on Wednesday.
Washington has held separate talks with both Kiev and Moscow on ending the conflict, but has threatened to walk away from the process if progress is not made soon.
Trump’s direct talks with Russia on ending the war, excluding Ukraine and Europe, widens the divide during the UN vote.
President Donald Trump has overhauled US policy towards Russia since taking office, initiating a rapprochement with the Kremlin.
He had an on-camera clash with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on February 28, where both leaders had been set to sign a mineral deal granting US access to Ukrainian resources.
Ukraine has since renegotiated the deal, which would see Washington and Kiev jointly develop and invest in Ukraine's critical mineral resources.
Kiev hopes the deal will pave the way for the United States to give security guarantees as Ukraine seeks to safeguard against future Russian attacks.
