For perspective on today's meeting between the U.S. and Russia, we get two views.

Andrea Kendall Taylor is a former senior intelligence official who focused on Russia and Eurasia.

She's now at the bipartisan think tank Center for a New American Security.

And Paul Saunders is executive director of the Bipartisan Center for the National Interest. He served in the

State Department during the George W. Bush administration. Thank you both for being here.

Thank you. And we should say that late today, President Trump, while speaking to reporters at

Mara Lago, he was asked for his message to Ukrainians who might feel betrayed or disappointed

by not having a seat at the table. And here's what he said.

They're upset about not having a seat. Well, they've had a seat for three years and a long time before that. This could have been settled very easily. He also falsely suggested that Ukraine started

this war. But Paul, the U.S. approach has provoked deep alarm among European allies. Is that

alarm warranted? Should Kiev have had a seat at today's meeting? Look, I don't think that the Ukrainian

government needs to be present in every single meeting that occurs. I think that's not realistic,

actually.

As a practical matter, as the national security advisor suggested, I think implied, it's going

to be a very complicated negotiation.

There are pieces that need to be addressed with the Ukrainians.

There are pieces that need to be addressed with the Europeans. There are pieces that need to be addressed with the Russians.

And if we try to have 30 European governments and the Ukrainian government and the Russian government

all in a room together with American negotiators, I don't think it would be very productive.

So I think it's very appropriate to meet individually with other parties.

In totality, we have to meet with the Ukrainians, and certainly the Ukrainians have to be

part of any agreement. And the war is on their territory, and they have to be part of any agreement.

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