LOS ANGELES.–Russian President Vladimir Putin, 72, sent a strong message to 47-year-old Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop shooting off his mouth publicly, making proclamations about Putin’s lack of sincerity in ending the Ukraine War if he doesn’t show up in Istanbul on his timetable. Zelensky has been brow beating Putin publicly saying if he didn’t show up, the European Union and the United States should slap Putin with harsh economic sanctions. So, Zelensky thinks he can dictate what the EU and U.S. does in foreign policy, something so outrageous it defies all common sense. Zelensky acts like he’s calling the shots in the Ukraine War when he spent over four years destroying Ukraine’s infrastructure, killing thousands of young Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, exiling millions and losing 25% of Ukraine’s best sovereign territory.
All the hype in the media followed Zelensky’s public declarations that if Putin doesn’t show up it’s proof he’s bluffing about wanting to end the war. Zelensky can’t control his mouth and he’s up against a formidable world leader where he should show deference. When it comes to President Donald Trump, Zelensky already showed his contempt for all of the work done on a Ukraine peace deal. Zelensky ran to the EU complaining that Trump wasn’t’ concerned about European Security and was selling Ukraine down the river. So, who could blame Putin for not jumping through Zelensky’s hoops? “We can’t be running around he world looking for Putin,” Zelensky said at a meeting with Turkish President Recp Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. “I feel disrespect from Russia. No meeting time, no agenda, no high-level delegation this is personal disrespect. To Erdogan, to Trump,” Zelensky said.
With Zelensky’s attitude, peace talks may not happen anytime soon. No one has sat Zelensky down and told him to show some respect for other world leaders. Does Zelensky think that Putin’s schedule follows his own or that he can dictate how current ceasefire and peace talks could roll out? Trump expressed a willingness if Putin went to Istanbul to change his itinerary and fly to Turkey. But listening to Zelensky sabotage any peace talks it makes you wonder if he suffers from some kind of mental problem. Why does Zelensky think he can publicly lambast Putin or Trump when he’s the vanquished party in Ukraine? Zelensky, as Trump tried to point out, enters ceasefire and peace talks with very few cards. Getting the EU backing or threatening new sanctions does nothing to advance the peace process. Why has no one told Zelensky to stop shooting off his mouth?
Because Zelensky sets his own timetable for ceasefire and peace talks with Erdogan doesn’t mean that Putin or Trump fits into his agenda. Zelensky should let more senior diplomats handle the formality involved in summitry or peace talks. Zelensky’s senior managers are younger that he is. So, he has no one of any seniority to teach him protocol or control what he says publicly. Putin’s schedule isn’t determined by Zelensky or the EU, currently threatening to slap Putin with more economic sanctions. How does that help the peace process knowing that Putin has everything to gain and little to lose entering peace talks? Since Trump pursued normal diplomatic relations with the Kremlin, Putin no longer sees himself at war with the U.S. Former President Joe Biden trashed decades of diplomacy, détente and arms, turning Russia from global partner into mortal enemy.
Trump said that nothing will happen with Ukraine peace talks until he meets directly with Putin. Zelensky thinks he can call the shots but certainly Putin wants no part of Zelensky’s circus accusing Putin of stalling or avoiding talks. Putin’s advance team led by former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky was designed to get an initial read on Zelensky’s demands for any peace settlement. “I just hope Russia and Ukraine are able to do something. It has to stop,” said Trump, knowing that things are not currently set up the right way for success. How does slapping Putin with sanctions help the peace process? Zelensky has been saying publicly that if Putin doesn’t show up on his timetable, jump through his hoops, then the EU and U.S. should hit Moscow with more economic sanctions. Zelensky must stop speaking publicly and let the process play itself out.
Coercion and public threats are a losing strategy for Zelensky trying to work out an acceptable ceasefire and peace deal with the Russian Federation. Trump should resist joining the EU in slapping Putin with more sanctions because he won’t encourage Putin to come to the table at the barrel of a gun. Trump is right that until he meets with Putin directly, ceasefire and peace talks will probably not happen, since Zelensky acts like a bull in a china shop. Putin doesn’t operate on Zelensky’s public declarations of how ceasefire and peace talks roll out. Putin sent a respectable delegation, regardless of how low level, to get the broad contours of what to expect in any future ceasefire and peace talks. If Putin snubbed the talks, he wouldn’t have sent a delegation to Istanbul to begin the long process of unpacking obstacles to peace. It’s up to Zelensky to start controlling his mouth.
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.
