Peace in Ukraine looks further after Trump's call with Putin

Cnn
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So much for Donald Trump's “power of personality” that forces Russian President Vladimir Putin to prove that he wants to end the war in Ukraine.

The president's uploaded call with his Russian counterpart on Monday mainly served to highlight how far such a breakthrough may be away.

And what is even more important when you looked ahead, it raises new questions about how trumped Trump really wants to be transatlantic divisions to end war.

Ukraine and its European partners are pushing for a 30-day ceasefire to give time for discussions about a permanent peace agreement. Moscow refused and insisted on discussions on a final deal. Since this process could take months, it sees after a trick that Russia progresses its offensive, killing innocent civilians.

By announcing after calling with Putin, he announced that Ukraine and Russia would now have conversations “how only they can” on a ceasefire and ultimately an end of the war while the fight against his friend was in the Kremlin.

Trump also added new ambiguities on Monday to an increasingly toothless peace effort. He did nothing to suppress a former proposal by Vice President JD Vance that the United States could simply wash its hands if there is no progress. “I tell you, big ego, but I think something will happen. And if this is not the case, I'm just back and you have to continue,” said President reporters in the Oval Office after the call.

To be threatened is a classic gambit of the dealmaker. In view of the government's extreme skepticism to support Ukraine, this may not be a bluff.

Trump also gave the impression that the United States would play a less direct role while Russia and Ukraine spoke. He started a vague test balloon with which the Vatican and the new American Pope Leo may be involved. Most observers believe that there will be no peace unless America has maximum leverage.

“It feels that the president may not try to put Putin under pressure at all. It is good that he has had a two -hour conversation, but what do we have?” asked Beth Sanner, a former deputy director of the National Secret Service.

“We continue to have very maximum demands … an agreement to talk about an framework to talk about a future peace agreement and possibly about a ceasefire that would come for many things,” said Sanner from Boris Sanchez from CNN.

“This is a call that I think it is really difficult to see this in a different way than to get Putin exactly what he wanted.”

As always, there was a puzzle about the full extent of Trump's conversation with Putin, which he often showed great respect.

Outsiders only know what the Kremlin and the White House know how it went. However, Russian officials offered a few tempting references to the atmosphere of the call. “I will tell you that discussions about such a duration are rare if both presidents … none of them wanted to end and put on the conversation,” said Yury Ushakov on Monday in comments, who are not very concerned with the critics of Trump that he is an easy sign for Putin.

Before it took place, the call on Monday looked as if it could mark a pivot point in the SO-FAR efforts to end the war. After all, Trump Fox News said in an interview during his the Middle East tour last week that it was “Turkey period” and increased expectations that he would get hard with Putin.

And on Sunday, the President's envoy, Steve Witkoff, said in the ABC News that “the president has an unsurpassed person of personality”. Witkoff added: “He has to make calls with President Putin, and that will educate part of the logjam and bring us to the place we have to get. And I think it will be a very successful call.”

But Trump will not use the leverage that the United States has – for example, this could tighten the sanctions against Russia or send more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.

When asked by reporters in the Oval Office, why he would not impose new sanctions, Trump replied: “Because I think there is a chance to do something, and if you do it, you could make it much worse.” He warned, “but there could be a time when this will happen.”

Without a period or more specificity, Trump's threat comes without steel. It looks more like a line that facilitates the pressure on itself instead of attracting Putin's attention.

Trump also renewed his complaints about the costs of the war in Ukraine and made it clear that he did not restrict the military help that was sent by the Biden administration to Kyiv without the efforts of warding off Russian armed forces. “We gave a massive amount … it's just a shame,” said the president.

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote after the talks he spoke twice on Monday – one before the US leader spoke to Putin, and then a joint lettering with European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and President Ursula von der Leyen.

In view of the strategic necessity for Zelensky to avoid new bubbles with the president in February according to her argument of the Oval Office in February. But in a long statement about X, Zelensky Trump's formula contradicted. He called for stronger sanctions against Russia if it is not ready to kill the Ukrainians. He proposed direct negotiations with Russia in the Vatican, in Turkey or Switzerland, but said they would have to involve European and American representatives. And he warned: “It is crucial for all of us that the United States does not distance themselves from the conversations and striving for peace because the only one who benefits from it is Putin.”

“This is a crucial moment. The world can now see whether its leaders are really able to secure a ceasefire and achieve real, permanent peace,” wrote Zelensky in a comment that could be read for nominal value or as a criticism of Trump's efforts.

Trump often says that he wants to dedicate his second term of the peace foundation. And if he is sincere, he could leave the world in a better form.

“My whole life is like business – a big deal,” said Trump on Monday.

But his previous efforts are desperate. If at all, the fight in Ukraine and Gaza has intensified since taking office. Trump got a remarkable humanitarian victory last week by securing the publication of the last living US geisel in Gaza by agreed to indirect conversations with Hamas that are bypassing Israel.

But Trump's back interest in the end of the war after October 7, 2023 led attacks to a vacuum. Now the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opened a new offensive that aims to control the entire enclave in which tens of thousands of Palestinians are starving. Their emergency is a bad omen for Ukraine if Washington also loses interest there.

Elsewhere, the President applied for recognition for the termination of a terrible escalation between India and Pakistan about Kashmir this month. But India – despite its close relationships with the White House – controversial claims that US intervention is crucial.

Such conflicts come from decades of historical and nationalist complaints. And everyone can be existential for the leaders concerned. So it is not surprising that the participants are not moved by Trump's efforts that are superficial compared to the standards of historical peace drive in places such as the Middle East and the former Yugoslavia. Such wars run on generations. Trump's schedule is days and weeks.

Putin and Trump both tap together ”

“I think Putin wants to do it … if I thought that President Putin didn't want to overcome that, I wouldn't even talk about it,” said Trump in the oval office.

But it is more difficult than ever to be optimistic that the Russian guide will soon really want to end the war.

Of course, the conflict of the Russia's economy was ruinous and killed tens of thousands of young Russians. But in his advertisement, Russia said Putin emphasized that the war that the war ends had to be addressed. This includes special claims that Ukraine must be “de-lacked” (in other words that Zelensky and democratic government must be overthrown), and the sovereignty of the country, the political system and the right to decide its own fate must be imposed.

Sure, Putin wants to peace, but only to understand that it would be impossible for Ukraine to remain an independent nation.

A few weeks ago, Trump asked Russia not to attack the civilian population anymore, and wondered whether Putin “typed me” with me. By wishing to do so on Monday, it is fair to ask whether Trump is less attracted than on the knocking.