GEOFF BENNETT: Today, the Trump# administration's top national## security officials are all in Saudi# Arabia ahead of a meeting tomorrow## with Russian officials that marks# the beginning of Ukraine peace talks.

The fact that those talks are bilateral has# sparked deep worry across Europe, especially## after comments by senior U.S. officials in Europe# over the last week critical of U.S. allies.

Here's Nick Schifrin.

NICK SCHIFRIN: In Riyadh today, a meeting# with Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince## before negotiations begin to end Europe's# deadly is conflict since World War II.

Tomorrow, Secretary of State Marco# Rubio, National Security Adviser## Mike Waltz and special presidential# envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with## Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and# Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov,## no Ukrainian or other European officials,# Which led Ukrainian President Volodymyr## Zelenskyy today during a visit to the United# Arab Emirates to call the talks illegitimate.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, Ukrainian President# (through translator): Ukraine regards## any negotiations on Ukraine without# Ukraine as ones that have no resu.. and we cannot recognize any# agreements about us without us.

NICK SCHIFRIN: This weekend, President Trump# assured that Ukraine would not be sidelined.

QUESTION: Do you expect Zelenskyy to be involved# in these conversations?

What will his role be?

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United# States: Yes, I do.

I do.

He will be involved.

LT. GEN. KEITH KELLOGG (RET.

), Special Envoy to# Ukraine and Russia: From the school of realism.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But at the# Munich Security Conference,## special envoy Keith Kellogg made it clear# other Europeans would not be invited## because he said previous European-led# cease-fire negotiations had failed.

LT. GEN. KEITH KELLOGG (RET.

):# There was a lot of people at the## table that really had no ability to# execute some type of.. and it failed miserably.

So we're# not going to go down that path.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Today, Kellogg briefed NATO about# what he called partnership with Europe on ending## the war.

But some Europeans today worry the# U.S. is no longer a reliable partner.

And## leaders today rushed to Paris, where President# Emmanuel Macron held an emergency summit.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister# Lavrov called the European kettle black.

SERGEY LAVROV, Russian Foreign Minister (through# translator): If they continue scheming some## tricky ideas, as they usually do, and just# intend to continue the war, why invite them?

NICK SCHIFRIN: This afternoon, German Chancellor# Olaf Scholz called this a -- quote -- "difficult## situation" for Europe and that peace talks for# Ukraine must produce a fair and sustainable peace.

For more on those Ukraine talks and# the U.S. relationship with Europe,## we turn to Gabrielius Landsbergis, who was# Lithuania's foreign minister from 2020 to 2024.

Thanks very much.

Welcome back to the "News Hour."

After hearing Vice President Vance this# weekend give support for right-wing parties## across Europe and after hearing Secretary# of Defense Pete Hegseth last week saying## the U.S.' primary focus could no longer be# in Europe, you argued this.

You argued that## neither Europe nor Ukraine can trust the# U.S. to provide security or assistance.

Why do you believe the break is so fundamental?

GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS, Former Lithuanian Foreign# Minister: Well, because we have -- in Europe,## we have never heard these sort of words# spoken after the alliance was created.

So, clearly, this is really shocking to many of# those who wished to join this alliance because## we did not have this opportunity to do that when# it was created.

And by joining it we believe that## it's fundamental, it's ironclad that nothing can# -- nothing can fracture it, nothing can break it.

So, listening to those words, it's really in# many cases for the people on Eastern flank,## this is -- this is even emotional, I would# say, like a change or an end of an era.

NICK SCHIFRIN: So when you see Special Envoy# Kellogg go to NATO today and talk about -- quote## -- "partnership," when you hear Secretary of State# Marco Rubio this weekend call the transatlantic## alliance -- quote -- "vital," do you just not# think that that is the U.S. policy anymore?

GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS: The question# is that, in the face of biggest## geopolitical calamity in the -- in the# continent since the Second World War,## people might start doubting whether# the alliance still works as it has,## as we have -- we have set out to for it to# work or we or as we planned for it to work.

So this is the biggest change.

We have war just a# couple of hundred kilometers from where I sit.

And## it's -- if there's anything that I would like# to do is to reassure people of Lithuania that## that U.S. has our back, that NATO is strong, and# nothing has changed.

But the questions are there.

NICK SCHIFRIN: After the conference,## you also wrote that to be invited .. you have to matter.

And then you suggest# Europe can build its own table.

How?

GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS: Well, look,# I mean, I have heard ministers and## European leaders asking United States not# to forget Europe, invite us to the table.

And, for me, it just -- it just sounds sad.# We shouldn't be asking this, right?

We are a## continent of 450 million people, enormous economy,# enormous economical power and financial power.## Clearly, just we have been asleep for very# long time.

And if there is a time to wake up,## so it is now we wake up, we start financing our# defense, where we can start financing Ukraine.

And then we build the table.

We support# Ukraine, but we would say that, look, yes,## the times might change.

The alliances change, but# we have your back.

And I have full confidence that## Europe is able to say that.

The only thing that# is lacking or could be lacking is political will.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But, with all# due respect, European leaders,## including yourself, even French President# Emmanuel Macron, have been screaming from## the rooftops that Europe has to take this# more seriously, that Europe has to do more.

Why do you believe that this moment could prove# any different than these previous attempts?

GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS: Indeed, it# is one of the last calls to wake up.

If this doesn't wake up, well,# somebody might declare that the## patient is actually dead.

One has# to be worthy for its own freedom.## So it is indeed a very dark -- potentially# a very dark hour for Europe, because the## consequences of us sleeping through what# is happening now could be detrimental.

Clearly, in Munich, it was seen that China# is very much interested in everything that's## happening in Europe.

But now seeing how many# meetings did minister of foreign affairs of PRC## had with European leaders, had with institutions?# Some of the countries were waiting for years to## meet the Chinese leadership.

And suddenly, just# during this Munich, they got this possibility.

I wonder why.

Because they see the fractures# in transatlantic union, and they want to drive## the wedge even further.

And they can emerge an# actual winner from this war.

So the West, you,## United States, might lose the war,# not just to Putin, but also to China.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Gabrielius# Landsbergis, thank you very much.

GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS: Thank you.