The US president revealed he has spoken to his Russian counterpart about ending Moscow’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, citing a good relationship.
ADVERTISEMENTUS President Donald Trump has revealed that he has already had one or more phone conversations about ending Moscow’s war in Ukraine with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who, according to Trump, “wants to see people stop dying.»
«Every day people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday.
The US president said he wouldn’t reveal how many times he has spoken with Putin but added that they have a «good relationship».
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he «can neither confirm nor deny» Trump-Putin talks have taken place.
«Communications between Moscow and Washington occur through different channels,» he added.
Before retaking office, Trump said he would end the war within 24 hours once he was president.
How likely are negotiations to end the war in Ukraine?
Although Trump has said he wants to see negotiations about Ukraine, it’s not clear if Putin really does.
Nearly three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin is closer than ever to achieving his objectives in the battle-weary country, with little incentive to come to the negotiating table, no matter how much Trump might cajole or threaten him, according to Russian and Western experts interviewed by AP.
Both Putin and Trump have signalled some discussions on Ukraine have already taken place, however.
Putin said Trump was “clever and pragmatic,” and even parroted his false claims of having won the 2020 election. Trump’s opening gambit was to call Putin “smart” and to threaten Russia with tariffs and oil price cuts, which the Kremlin brushed off.
Trump has indicated Washington might be talking to Russia about Ukraine without Kyiv’s input, saying his administration already had “very serious” discussions toward ending the war.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Putin wants to deal directly with Trump, cutting out Kyiv. That approach would run counter to the Biden administration’s position, which echoed Zelenskyy’s call for “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.»
“We cannot let someone decide something for us,” Zelenskyy told AP, saying Russia wants the “destruction of Ukrainian freedom and independence.”
He suggested any such peace deal would send the dangerous signal that adventurism pays off to authoritarian leaders in China, North Korea and Iran.
Trump may want a legacy as a peacemaker, but “history won’t look kindly on him if he’s the man who gives this all away,” said Sir Kim Darroch, British ambassador to the US from 2016-19.
ADVERTISEMENT“Engagement is not the same as negotiation,” said Sir Laurie Bristow, UK ambassador to Russia from 2016-20, describing Russia’s strategy as “what’s mine is mine. And what’s yours is up for negotiation.”
