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LOS ANGELES.–Ukraine’s 47-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky, who once said he would never sit at a table with war criminal 72-year-old President Vladimir Putin, now says it’s dangerous not to include Ukraine into any ceasefire or peace talks.   Zelensky let the world know that to negotiate with Putin he would have to be prosecuted for war crimes at The Hague, remove all troops and reimburse Ukraine every penny for the war.  But suddenly, since 78-year-old President Donald Trump is back in office, he says it’s “very dangerous” to not include Ukraine.  Zelensky fears that Trump and Putin will work out a deal and force Zelensky to accept it.  Zelensky says he wants the EU involved in any talks because he thinks they take more his position.  What Zelensky doesn’t get is the EU follow the U.S. lead on any talks or future conditions for receiving more cash-and-arms.

            Zelensky thinks Trump brings Putin to the table with the threat of sanctions, something so fantasy driven that it makes zero sense.  Putin stated publicly that if Trump were president in 2022, the war would have never happened.  Trump has said that many times with Zelensky and certain war hawks, mostly Democrats, not buying the argument.  “I think these are the closest and most important steps,” Zelensky said, referring to more Russian sanctions on its energy and banking sector.  Trump isn’t considering more sanctions against Putin, he wants the Ukraine War to end with an acceptable arrangement for post-war security.  Trump will likely assure Putin that Ukraine will no longer commit acts of aggression with U.S., EU or NATO weapons.  Zelensky worries that Trump and Putin could make a deal without his approval that he finds unacceptable to Ukraine.

            Ukraine has lost the war with the Kremlin as measured by the loss of sovereign territory over the last four years.  By anyone’s standards, Ukraine has lost about 25% of its sovereign territory in the preferred Black Sea region.  “We need to work more on this.” Zelensky said, urging Trump to hear Zelensky’s 10-point plan for peace.  Trump has heard all of Zelensky’s plans and know they are a non-starter for Putin.  Putin wants to freeze the conflict and have Zelensky accept Rusian sovereignty of Crimea and independence of Donetsk and Luhansk. Since three years of war, Zelensky must accept losing more sovereign territory, giving Russia control over parts of Donbas in southeastern Ukraine.  Zelensky wants to hold meetings with Trump before he meets with Putin to negotiate any deal.  Since Zelensky lost the war, Trump doesn’t give him the first right of refusal of any peace deal.

            Zelensky is still harping on NATO membership, something that won’t happen in any peace deal with Moscow. “I really believe that these are the cheapest security guarantees that Ukraine can get, the cheapest for everyone,” Zelensky said, not saying why Putin would ever accept Ukraine’s NATO membership.  NATO hasn’t offered Ukraine membership because they don’t want to take on Zelensky’s battle with the Kremlin.  “It will be a signal that it is not for Russia to decide who should be in NATO and who should not, but for the United States of America to decide.  I think this is a great victory for Trump,” Zelenky said, talking out of his hat.  What possible reason would Trump insist on NATO membership if it kills prospects for any peace deal?  Zelensky wants to offer his 800,000-man fighting force to defend U.S. and NATO interests in Ukraine and Europe.

            Judging by how Zelensky is out of touch with reality, Trump and Putin should not include him in any peace talks, only tell him what the deal is.  Zelensky is still fixated on his past relationship with former President Joe Biden who once promised to help Ukraine defeat the Russian Federation.  Biden’s Ukraine policy failed because he grossly underestimated the Russian Federation as a fighting force.  Once Biden let Putin know that the U.S. fights along Ukraine to topple the Russian Federation, the fight in Ukraine has been with the U.S. and NATO, not Ukraine.  Putin considers Ukraine a minor player in a bigger war with the U.S. and NATO.  Zelensky thinks he has leverage in any negotiation because he thinks NATO or the EU back Ukraine.  But clearly since Trump took office the EU and NATO understand that Trump, not Zelensky, now calls the shots in any peace deal.

              Zelensky has moved into salesman mode now that it’s clear that Trump has taken over any effort to bring peace to Ukraine. Zelensky demanded NATO membership over the last three years, told every time that Ukraine does not meet NATO’s minimum requirements, especially because he’s at war with the Kremlin.  “I said the presence of the two leaders that we are interested in this as part of the security guarantee, but not as the only guarantee of safety,” Zelensky said. “That’s not enough,” demanding that he be present when Trump and Putin meet.  When Trump meets with Putin, he wants no distraction from the Ukrainian leader who put his country for three years in the wringer.  Zelensky doesn’t accept that he’s lost the war, squandered U.S., EU and NATO resources and now must be told—not dictate—what happens in any ceasefire and peace talks.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.