File photo. Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ / NICK MONRO
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says his meetings in Washington this week are extraordinarily important in the global economic circumstances, with the new US administration's policies having "dramatically changed the scene".
Peters told RNZ that expectations of New Zealand during a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine "might come up" during his meeting on Wednesday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"We would appreciate Secretary Rubio giving us his views, most certainly we'd be interested in that."
But he emphasised this trip was not about that, and it comes after months of preparation - including before the US elections.
"We were getting ready way before that because we believed there was a high possibility, some of us saw the certainty, of change.
"That would mean changed policies, and so it was important for us to keep the best of information we could and contacts ready to go when the government changed and changed it did."
He said that was "coming into politics with your eyes wide open - pretty important, really".
Peters was meeting on Tuesday with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who has been in the middle of ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
He was also meeting Peter Marocco - the director of foreign assistance - as concerns are rising around the loss of aid in the Pacific from the significant cuts to USAid, and the potential for China to fill the vacuum
Peters said the US is part of the Pacific, and therefore can not "withdraw". Peters has also been a long-time advocate for more focus in the Pacific.
In 2018, during the previous Trump administration, Peters addressed Georgetown University in Washington DC, calling for more focus from the US on the Pacific due to more contest in the region and vulnerable security.
"It is New Zealand's view that the Asia-Pacific region has reached an inflexion point, one that requires the urgent attention of both Wellington and Washington."
Peters told RNZ on Monday the question now will be what more the US can do to ensure there is "balance" in a difficult geostrategic environment.
Peters will meet with Democratic National Committee chairman Ken Martin later today before having dinner with Trump administration officials, all whom have security or foreign affairs roles.
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