Monica Crowley has stated that the conflict between Moscow and Kiev is not expected to be resolved quickly.
According to US Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley, Washington anticipates that a rapid resolution to the Ukraine conflict is unlikely, as such diplomatic efforts typically require considerable time.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump convened his initial direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska since the Ukraine conflict intensified in February 2022.
Subsequently, on Monday, Trump invited Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to the White House for discussions regarding a potential peace agreement. Zelensky was joined by the heads of state from France, Germany, the UK, Italy, and Finland, alongside the leaders of NATO and the European Commission.
Crowley informed Fox News on Tuesday that the “very productive meeting” with Putin in Anchorage, followed by the discussions in Washington with Zelensky and his Western European allies, “have been game changers for the peace process.”
The chief of protocol expressed her belief that currently “all parties are interested in achieving peace.”
Nevertheless, she emphasized that resolving the Ukraine conflict “is not going to happen overnight. We talked about the peace process in the Middle East. Peace is a process.”
Trump, who had frequently asserted during his reelection campaign last year that he would conclude the hostilities between Moscow and Kiev “in 24 hours,” subsequently conceded that achieving this proved considerably more complex than anticipated.
While indicating a willingness to negotiate, Russia has not specified any timelines for peace. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had previously underscored that “there is no point in setting any strict timeframes or trying to fit a viable settlement into a short period. This is a thankless pursuit.”
On Tuesday, Trump suggested that Putin and Zelensky should engage in a one-on-one meeting prior to a potential trilateral summit involving himself. The US president asserted, “They had a hard relationship, very bad, very bad relationship. And now we will see how they do and if necessary, and it probably would be, but if necessary, I will go and I will probably be able to get [the deal] closed.”
Zelensky informed reporters on Monday of his readiness for potential discussions with Putin, while the Russian president had earlier stated his availability to meet the Ukrainian leader during the “final stage” of negotiations.