President Donald Trump's deadline for a Ukraine peace agreement has come and gone without a breakthrough, leaving many to wonder if he is being played once again by Russian President Vladimir Putin. A telling indicator of the Kremlin's intentions lies in their handling of recent White House diplomacy efforts.
According to a foreign policy scholar close to Putin's regime, as long as hostilities continue, Russia can exert leverage over Ukraine. Once the fighting stops, however, the tables are turned, and Russia finds itself facing coordinated diplomatic pressure - an outcome the scholar believes is "we harbour no illusions" about coming to pass.
In reality, Putin has little interest in a ceasefire followed by talks that would respect Ukraine's sovereignty. His goal is to see Ukraine capitulate and be absorbed into Moscow's orbit, whether through military force or a Trump-backed deal imposed on Kiev.
The Russian president has reiterated his demands for Ukrainian territory in the east, threatening "force of arms" if those demands are not met. He also continues to describe Ukraine's government as "illegitimate," questioning the validity of any future agreement.
Meanwhile, Trump is being strung along once again by Putin's empty praise and promises of cooperation, all while Russia resists efforts to negotiate a peaceful resolution based on territorial concessions. The fact that Trump has been presented with a peace plan by Ukraine and the US - one that calls for an end to fighting as a precondition for talks over territory - suggests that the Kremlin remains committed to resisting such talks.
The recent resignation of Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's chief of staff, after being placed under investigation by anti-corruption authorities, is a damaging development that could further undermine Putin's negotiating position. However, it also serves as a stark reminder that Ukraine's president is facing immense pressure and vulnerability at this critical juncture.
The real question now is whether Trump will fall prey to his own presidential vanity and desire to do business with Russia, or if he will resist the temptation of doing Putin's dirty work for him. As the situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate, Europe must take responsibility for ensuring that Ukraine is not bullied into a cynical carve-up that would leave it vulnerable to Russian aggression and jeopardize European security.
By signaling a commitment to provide Ukraine with sufficient financial and military resources to resist Russia's aggression, European leaders can alter the dynamic of negotiations and send a clear message to both Putin and Trump: that they will resolutely defend Ukraine's right to a just peace.
According to a foreign policy scholar close to Putin's regime, as long as hostilities continue, Russia can exert leverage over Ukraine. Once the fighting stops, however, the tables are turned, and Russia finds itself facing coordinated diplomatic pressure - an outcome the scholar believes is "we harbour no illusions" about coming to pass.
In reality, Putin has little interest in a ceasefire followed by talks that would respect Ukraine's sovereignty. His goal is to see Ukraine capitulate and be absorbed into Moscow's orbit, whether through military force or a Trump-backed deal imposed on Kiev.
The Russian president has reiterated his demands for Ukrainian territory in the east, threatening "force of arms" if those demands are not met. He also continues to describe Ukraine's government as "illegitimate," questioning the validity of any future agreement.
Meanwhile, Trump is being strung along once again by Putin's empty praise and promises of cooperation, all while Russia resists efforts to negotiate a peaceful resolution based on territorial concessions. The fact that Trump has been presented with a peace plan by Ukraine and the US - one that calls for an end to fighting as a precondition for talks over territory - suggests that the Kremlin remains committed to resisting such talks.
The recent resignation of Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's chief of staff, after being placed under investigation by anti-corruption authorities, is a damaging development that could further undermine Putin's negotiating position. However, it also serves as a stark reminder that Ukraine's president is facing immense pressure and vulnerability at this critical juncture.
The real question now is whether Trump will fall prey to his own presidential vanity and desire to do business with Russia, or if he will resist the temptation of doing Putin's dirty work for him. As the situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate, Europe must take responsibility for ensuring that Ukraine is not bullied into a cynical carve-up that would leave it vulnerable to Russian aggression and jeopardize European security.
By signaling a commitment to provide Ukraine with sufficient financial and military resources to resist Russia's aggression, European leaders can alter the dynamic of negotiations and send a clear message to both Putin and Trump: that they will resolutely defend Ukraine's right to a just peace.
like what even is the deal with these two? it's all about manipulating trump into doing putin's dirty work for him and then just walking away when things get too hot. the fact that he's still strung along on empty promises from putin is just wild 
like how many times has this happened already? it's time to stop being played by putin and start playing him instead.
This whole situation is so messed up 
Trump thinks he's doing business with Russia but really Putin's playing him like a fiddle 
. Like, come on dude, you know the guy's not being genuine 
. And what's with all these demands for Ukrainian territory? Does Moscow not remember the Crimea thing? 
Europe needs to step up and support Ukraine 
. We can't just sit back and watch Russia bully them around 
. Trump should be calling Putin out for his empty promises and aggression 
, but instead he's just strung along by flattery 
. It's time to put the pressure on Moscow to respect Ukraine's sovereignty 
. Meanwhile, the people of Ukraine are literally fighting for their lives on the front lines 
... we need to take responsibility for our actions and make sure they're not bullied into some kind of crappy deal that would put Europe in danger 
. We need to stand with Ukraine and support them financially and militarily, or else we'll just be enabling Putin's aggression 
. It's time for some real leadership here 
. Like, how hard is it to negotiate in good faith? 
. I feel bad for them, but at the same time, I'm also worried that they're going to get screwed over again 
. We need some real leadership here, not just a bunch of empty promises and posturing 
. And can we please just take care of Ukraine already? They don't stand a chance against Russia 
... 
. It's like, we all know what Putin's real intentions are, but still, Trump gets played by his empty promises 
. If Trump falls for it, he'll be sacrificing Ukraine's sovereignty and security 
. It's all about accountability and standing up for what's right 
I mean, come on... Trump thinks he's got the magic touch with Putin? 
Newsflash Donald: you're not a Bond villain trying to infiltrate the Kremlin, buddy! Russia is playing hardball, and if you want to save Ukraine, you need to bring the heat (and some actual leverage) to the negotiating table. 
europe needs to step up and provide more support to ukraine instead of just talking about it 
we can't let them be bullied into a peace deal that would give russia too much power 
I'm getting major "Game of Thrones" vibes from this whole situation... like, who is really pulling the strings here?