LOS ANGELES.–Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova got real with Ukraine about ending the Ukraine War saying that Ukraine’s 47-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky must discuss a memorandum before scheduling any future ceasefire or peace talks. Zelensky wanted Putin to show up in Instanbul to settle the over three-year conflict without any preconditions. Putin wants Ukrainian and Russian peace delegations to work out the details of a settlement by working on a memorandum that specified the details of any settlement. Putin said discussing the memorandum must included priniciples of a settlement, timing and definitions of a ceasefire. Zakharov made clear that Russia was open to discussing all details of a settlement before resuming peace talks with both delegations. Putin specified he wants Ukrainian troops removed from Kherson, Zaporizhizia, Donetsk and Luhansk.
Zelensky hoped by involving the European Union he could drive a harder bargain with Russia, perhaps getting back spoils of the over three-year war. But far from returning Ukraine’s sovereign territory, Zakharova made clear that a memorandum of understanding must come first before future talks. “Now, accordingly, the ball is in Kiev’s court,” Zakharova said, saying it was an important moment. Russian officials get the impression that Zelensky is willing to keep fighting to reclaim lost sovereign territory as long as the U.S. or EU is willing to foot the bill. Zelensky has been told that the funding won’t come from the Trump administration while it works on resetting normal U.S.-Russian relations. That leaves only the EU to fund proxy war with the Kremlin. Zelensky has made demands to the EU clear that he wants his land back in any ceasefire or peace settlement.
Putin wants direct talks but the EU intervened with Zelensky mucking up the peace process. Putin was prepared through his talks with Trump and his envoy Steve Witkoff to fashion a peace deal to present to Zelensky. Zakharova said the EU has tried but failed to get in the way of direct talks with Kiev’s government. Yet Zakharova knows that the real obstacle to peace is Zelensky who doesn’t want to settle the conflict by surrendering more Ukrainian territory. Zakharova said new sanctions proposed by the EU would not coerce Putin into signing a deal that was not in Russia’s interests. Putin sees the EU seeking to rearm Ukraine, violating a basic principle for settling the Ukraine War. Putin wants Zelensky to agree to remain neutral, no longer seek NATO membership, something he asked for before the Feb. 24, 2022 conflict. Rearming Ukraine was another red line for Putin.
Putin is glad that Trump has made peace with Russia, no longer supporting proxy war against the Kremlin. Zelensky wants more cash-and-arms with the U.S. and EU to continue his war with the Russian Federation. Based on statements from French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, they want Putin to remove all his troops from Ukraine to start any real peace negotiation. EU officials know that’s a non-starter in any peace negotiations. Russia has fought a costly and bloody war for over three years and wants to keep its spoils from a long and grinding fight. Zelensky wants to end the war but only on his terms, including the Kremlin paying Ukraine war reparations. When Putin talks about a memorandum, he wants a realistic starting point to Ukraine pulling troops out of Russian seized territories.
Hitting Russia with more sanctions guarantees that the war won’t be settled anytime soon. Zelensky has pressured Trump to join in with EU sanctions, knowing it’s a deal breaker. “Pressure must be exerted on Russia to stop the killings. Without tougher sanctions, without stronger pressure, Russia will not seek real diplomacy,” Zelensky said, meaning real diplomacy comes when Putin agrees to return all Ukrainian territory. Trump has exercised real restraint on Zelensky, knowing that his formula for peace won’t fly with Putin. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov thanked the U.S. for its “positive role” in helping to broker a peace between Ukraine and Russia. Lavrov is well-aware of Zelensky’s position and knows that he’s nowhere close to a direct meeting with Putin until he agrees to a memorandum, including basic causes for the Ukraine War.
Trump only has limited influence on Ukraine other than saying the U.S. would no longer funds proxy war with the Kremlin. Zelensky can’t fathom how Trump can pursue normal diplomatic relations with Russia knowing it’s responsible for the war. When it comes to the real conditions for the Feb. 24, 2022 war, the U.S. has not admitted that former President Joe Biden kept arming Ukraine with offensive weapons over Kremlin objections for months and years. Putin told Biden that if he didn’t work out new security arrangements for Ukraine, he would have to implement a “special military operation” to demilitarize Ukraine. When it comes to ending the Ukraine War, Trump has the best track on putting a workable deal together. EU officials are viewed with distrust by the Kremlin, seen as warmongering, not peacemaking, as they try to fashion an end to the war.
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.
