LOS ANGELES.–President Donald Trump, 78, told 72-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop his attacks on Kiev, killing 12 overnight and injuring 90. Trump has been trying feverishly to broker a ceasefire and peace deal with Ukraine’s 47-year-old President Volodoymyr Zelensky expressing more openness to negotiating an end to the three-year-old conflict. Putin considers ongoing attacks a way to induce Zelensky to come to the peace table, letting Trump serve as mediator in any talks. “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kiev. Not necessary, and very bad timing Vladimir. STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. “Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!” Trump said, hoping Putin would back off on the attacks while he and his team work on a ceasefire and peace deal. Trump has been critical of Zelensky for undermining his peace efforts.
Trump’s Ukraine envoy Steve Witkoff, 68, plans to return to St. Petersburg to meet with Putin this week. He’s made considerable progress getting down to brass tacks about what works for Russia in any a ceasefire and peace deal. Putin wants to freeze the battle lines at current levels with Russia controlling Kherson, Zaporizhizhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea, all of which Putin demands control. Zelensky infuriated Trump saying he would not recognize Russian control of Crimea because it’s in the Constitution. “I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky,” Trump told reporters. “So far, it’s been harder, but that’s OK. It’s all right,” Trump said dealing with Zelensky. Zelensky has been posturing to get himself the best possible peace deal with Russia, especially when it comes to sovereignty issues related to Crimea and other Ukraine provinces.
Meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store at the White House, Trump hopes to get more cooperation from the EU who has mucked up his peace efforts by taking Zelensky’s side. Trump’s peace talks have been denigrated by EU officials as giving Zelensky the short end of the stick in peace negotiations. Trump wants Zelensky to cede Crimea to Russia, though, it’s a more nuanced stand, meaning he’s willing to discuss it as long as he has the opportunity in the future to negotiate a return of Crimea in the future. Trump criticized Zelensky’s public remarks that he cannot cede any territory to Russia because it’s not in the Ukrainian Constitution. But Zelensky is in a war with Russia and exceptions must be made to move the conflict from the battlefield to the peace table. He knows every day that goes by Ukraine loses more soldiers and sovereign territory.
When Trump tells Zelensky he doesn’t have any “cards,” he’s talking about Russia winning the three-year-old war, taking more sovereign territory and destroying more infrastructure. Trump’s peace effort attempt to stop the carnage on both sides of the conflict and give Zelensky and Putin an off-ramp. Zelensky has spoken despairingly about Putin, calling him a war criminal, demanding he be prosecuted at The Hague. Trump has tried to get both leaders beyond the personal attack to a place that they see the wisdom of ending the war. Putin no longer has the same impetus to keep the war going now that Trump has ended Biden’s proxy war strategy with the Kremlin. Beyond ending the war, Trump has worked with Putin on restoring normal U.S.-Russian relations, including resuming nuclear nonproliferation talks and working on common global interests and projects.
Trump would like Norway’s Prime Minister Store to convey to his EU colleagues that Trump’s peace talks with Putin are in Ukraine’s best interests. Zelensky has pleaded with the EU to take over the war funding now that Trump refuses to continue Biden’s proxy war with the Kremlin. Store could help Trump by conveying to French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer that he’s getting Zelensky the best possible peace deal that stops the death and destructions and begins Ukraine’s long rebuilding process. It’s not productive for Zelensky and certain EU countries to challenge Trump’s peace process, knowing they have no leverage with Putin. Trump has Putin receptive to the idea of a ceasefire and peace deal as long as it meets minimum conditions for the Russian Federation. Zelensky doesn’t help Ukraine resisting Trump’s peace efforts.
EU officials have agreed to Trump’s peace formula of Ukraine trading land for peace, at least in the first phase of ceasefire and peace talks. “The principle of Ukraine’s territorial integrity is not something that can be negotiated,” said French Foreign Ministry Spokesman Christophe Lemoine. “This was the position taken last week and reiterated yesterday in London in a meeting of a similar format” Lemoine said. EU officials cannnot say they accept trading land for peace while saying Ukraine’s territorial integrity is not negotiable. EU officials know that Putin won’t stop the war unless Ukraine accepts Russian control over Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhizhia, Donetsk and Luhansk. When it comes to Russian speaking provinces in Donbas they want independence from the Kiev government. Putin might show flexibility on Kherson and Zaporizhizhia. So, trading land of peace is peace right formula.
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.
