LOS ANGELES (OC).–Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has wasted eveyone’s time in trilateral peace talks with the United States and Russia, saying that he won’t remove his troops from the Donbas area. Responding to Zelensky’s stubbornness, President Donald Trump told Zelensky he would give him until June to get serious about peacemaking, essentially giving Putin a free reign to pound Ukraine for the next six months. Russian President Vladimir Putin has continued his strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, hoping it would motivate Zelensky to come to his senses. But Zelensky shows with the 200 billion euro loan he got from Brussels, he has no intent to do anything now, other than go through the motions, pretending he’s interested in peace. Zelensky wants peace but only on his terms, something completely unacceptable to Trump and the Kremlin.
Zelensky acts clueless explaining Trump’s position about peace talks. “The Americans are proposing the parties end the way by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to ths schedulre,” Zelensky told reporters Feb. 6. What kind of fool does Zelensky take the press or the American and Ukrainian people? Zelensky fully exposes his rejection of any workable peace plan, continuing to subject his country to a relentless bloodshed where Ukraine loses more sovereign territory by the day. Zelensky thinks he he has the backing of the European Union but Brussels has run out of cash and will not in the future tap frozen Russian Assets to pay for the war. “And they say that they want to do everything by June. And this will do everything to end the war. And the want a clear schedule of all events,” Zelensky said.
What difference does it make what Trump or Putin want when Zelensky has gone on his own time line, refusing to cede the necessary territory in Donetsk and Luhansk to finally get a lasting peace deal from Putin? What does Zelensky think will happen over the next six months? Trump knows that Ukraine will lose more sovereign land and let Russia continue to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Confirmed out participation,” Zelensky said, talking about attending the next round of trilateral peace talks expected at Mar-a-Lago in Miami. Trump should cancel all further peace talks until Zelensky agrees in writing to remove his troops from the Donbas area. What possible reason should the U.S. and Russia participate in peace talks when Zelensky sounds like a broken record. Zelensky knows what he must do to end the war but refuses to do it.
Trump should cancel all further peace talks with Zelensky until he’s ready to meet the minimum demands for any settlement with the Kremlin. Why hold Mar-a-Lago talks for Zelensky when he has no intent to meeting the minimum requirements necessary for peace? “As a result of of missile strikes on key high voltage substations that ensure the output of nuclear power units, all nuclear power plants in the territories under control were force to reduct their load,” said a statement from the Ukrainian government. What does the Ukrainian government think is going to happen with Zelensky still at war with the Kremlin? If Zelensky wants the strikes on its infrastructure to end, he needs to settle the conflict under the terms of an agreement agreed to by all parties. Only Zelensky holds up a peace settlement thinking he can continue attacking the Russian Federation.
Zelensky needs to hear that he no longer has the support of the United States, essentially on his own to battle the Russian Federation. Trump has done everything possible to bring about a peaceful settlement to the four-year-old war. Zelensky continues to play games hurting his country, knowing that he controls only a small part of Donbas, certainly not the Peoples Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. So, when it comes to Zelensky actually making concessions to Moscow, he’s making almost none because Moscow controls 80% of Donbas. Zelensky hasn’t controlled Donbas since before the Feb. 22, 2014 Maiden Revolution, actually well-before he became president May 20, 2019. What Zelensky hopes to accomplish by stretching out the war is anyone’s guess. He wants to show the EU that he’s worthy of another two billion euro loan in two years.
Trump should cancel the Mar-a-lago peace talks with Zelensky, telling the Ukrainian leader he’s on his own battling the Kremlin. Putin has been very straight with Zelensky what ne needs to end the war. He told Zelensky that if he wants to continue the war, Russia will continue to fight for the long-haul until its meets its objectives. Zelensky thinks he can outlast Trump, knowing that in three years Trump will no longer be in power. Zelensky hopes for another Biden-like Democrats willing to fund undending proxy war with the Kremlin. All the work Trump has done to restore U.S.-Russian relations would be wasted by a new Democrat leader looking to continue the failed Biden policy. But if Zelensky thinks he can hold onto power for the next three years, he won’t compromise on any land concessions with Putin, keeping the war going indefinitely.
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.
