Donald Trump offers Vladimir Putin a way back in from the cold
A phone call won’t magically end the war in Ukraine.
Negotiations may be underway now. When and how they will draw conclusions are unclear.
But President Vladimir Putin has achieved diplomatic victory Just have a phone conversation.
After all, three years ago, he was in the political wilderness.
Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine turned him into a pariah.
The UN General Assembly condemned Russia’s “illegal use of force against Ukraine” with overwhelming resolution.
Russia has been attacked by thousands of international sanctions. The following year, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Kremlin leaders.
As for the president of the United States – and then Joe Biden – his views on his Russian counterparts have no doubt condemned Putin as a “murdered dictator” and a “pure thug.”
There is no longer a phone call between Putin and Biden after Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Fast forward to 2025.
The president’s changes brought about changes in style, language, and a completely different approach to Russia by the United States.
Trump said he wanted to work “very closely” with Putin to end the war in Ukraine. He hopes they will “visit each other’s country.”
Apparently, the same is true for Vladimir Putin, who invited Trump to Moscow.
If this visit continues, it will mark a major shift in U.S.-Russia relations. The U.S. president has not visited Russia for more than a decade.
Putin has got what he wants in many ways: the opportunity to negotiate directly with the Ukrainian United States, possibly the head of Kiev and Europe, and put himself on the top table in international politics.
However, it is not clear how far Putin will be willing to compromise.
Russian officials claim Moscow is ready for negotiations, but always mentions Putin’s so-called peace proposal in June 2024, which reads more like the last word atum.
Under the plan, Russia will retain all Ukrainian territory it occupied and still have more land under Ukrainian control.
Most importantly, Ukraine will not be allowed to join NATO and Western sanctions on Russia will be scrapped.
As a Russian newspaper said earlier this week: “Russia is ready for negotiations.
“If you give up on diplomatic language, essentially, this is the last atum.”
