LOS ANGELES.–Setting arbitrary conditions for a ceasefire and peace talks, 47-year-old Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shows he’s not serious about peace but only undermining 78-year-old President Donald Trump peace efforts with the Russian Federation. Trump’s Ukraine Envoy Steve Witkoff met today with 72-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin to work on details related to a ceasefire and peace deal. Witkoff has met with Putin four times for long intervals, showing the Putin takes the talks seriously, whether he agrees with Zelensky or not. U.S. fake news claims that Putin has been gaslighting Trump, something so preposterous it require a response. Trump has put pressure on Putin to move the ceasefire and peace talks ahead a fast as possible, applying equal pressure on Zelensky. Zelensky’ recent conditions for peace throw a monkey wrench into peace talks.
Witkoff has been working on a peace formula that works for the Kremlin, knowing that the Kremlin has pushed deeper into Ukrainian territory over the last three years, destroying Ukraine’s infrastructure, killing thousands of troops and civilians and driving Ukrainian citizens into exile. Yet for some unknown reason, Zelensky thinks he can tell Trump with any ceasfire or peace settlement the U.S. would have to give an “Article 5” guarantee that it would provide post war security to Ukraine. Article 5 refers to NATO’s mutual defense guarantee of “one-for-all, all-for-one,” meaning if Ukraine were attacked in the future by Russia the U.S. would be obligated to defend Ukraine. What kind of condition is that for the U.S.? Zelensky’s military could get into a tit-of-tat skirmish with the Kremlin and the U.S. would be obligated to use its military to defend Ukraine.
Trump would never agree to such an absurd condition, now or in the future. Trump has reversed former President Joe Biden’s reckless proxy war against the Kremlin. Biden tossed out generations of diplomacy, détente and arms control with the Kremlin to defend Ukraine against Russian attacks. Trump can’t commit to restoring normal U.S.-Russian relations abiding by Zelensky’s conditions that would suck the U.S. into a direct conflict with Russia. Zelensky obviously thinks he can dictate U.S. foreign policy and national security, pushing Trump to sign a ceasefire and peace deal that defends Ukraine in case of any breach. Zelensky thinks Trump was born yesterday with his current demands that make peace with Russia impossible. Threatening recently to walk away from talks, Trump said that the U.S. could move on if both combatants don’t take peace negotiations seriously.
Zelensky provoked Putin into invading Feb. 24, 2022 saying he would seek NATO membership at the earliest possible time. Because of the open animosity in the EU toward Putin, NATO members encouraged Zelensky to apply for NATO membership knowing it could push the region deeper into war. Zelensky wants the U.S. and other EU countries to monitor the ceasefire, involved in policing any infringement or infractions. Zelensky demands that all children taken from Ukraine be returned, a condition that Putin could meet. But when it comes to post-war security, Putin would not accept Trump signing any arrangement to provide Ukraine with security guarantees. Zelensky demands that there be no restrictions on his military or type of weapons he keeps on his side of the border. Attacking Russia on its own soil, Zelensky ordered attacks deep inside Russia, claiming it’s his right.
When it comes to new territories like Kherson and Zaporizhizhia, Zelensky wants control of the power plant and Kakhovka dam, including unhindered passage on the Dnieper River and control over KinburnSpit. All of Zelensky’s conditions make peace impossible for Putin, knowing he has no plans of returning captured Ukrainian territory. Zelensky expects Russia in any peace deal to pay Ukraine reparations, another unacceptable, deal-breaking condition. Zelensky should stop making demands and let Witkoff find a peace formula that works for Putin without all the extra conditions. Putin has not approved any post-war European peacekeepers actually inside the Ukrainian border. Zelensky can’t possibly think that the U.S. can guarantee its security with Russia. All of those guarantees involve abiding by the terms of the ceasefire and peace agreement.
Zelensky’s peace conditions sound like an ultimatum for more war stretched into the indefinite future. U.S. can’t guarantee any post war security for Ukraine because it has obligation to abide by terms of a new global cooperation agreement with the Kremlin. If Zelensky wants security guarantees, he needs to learn what works for Russia and what doesn’t. It’s not about the U.S. or other foreign countries to provide for Ukraine’s security. It’s up to Ukraine to learn how to get along with Russia, without creating the kind of disputes that leads to military confrontation. It’s inappropriate for the U.S. or any other country to guarantee security to Ukraine now or in the future. Zelensky must make his deal, live within the agreement and no longer provoke the Kremlin into military conflict. Trump can’t guarantee any security for Zelensky now or in the future.
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.
