 "US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin. File Image/ AP")
US President Donald Trump has maintained that he wants the war in Ukraine to end at the earliest. Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not appear to agree.
Putin has so far rejected every ceasefire offer that Trump has floated. He even rejected a seven-point peace plan last month that granted him some of his biggest demands, such as the continued control of nearly all Ukrainian territories that Russia occupies and ruling out Ukraine’s membership of Nato.
In the latest rejection of the peace process, Putin has skipped direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey that he himself had proposed.
After Putin proposed direct talks on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted the proposal and raised the stakes by saying that talks should be at the level of leaders. He also called for a 30-day ceasefire. The 30-day ceasefire was originally floated by Trump and backed by Ukraine’s European allies.
Putin spoils Trump’s plan to end Ukraine war
Trump has floated at least three temporary ceasefire proposals and a full-fledged peace plan so far. While Zelenskyy has accepted all three ceasefire proposals, Putin has rejected all of them. Putin also rejected the full-fledged peace plan even as it contained some of the biggest Russian demands.
Zelenskyy naturally rejected the peace plan as it amounted to Ukraine’s surrender by ceding territories and giving up major concessions in lieu of nothing.
Firstly, Trump proposed a 30-day ceasefire. Putin accepted it in principle but laid down a host of maximalist conditions that killed it. Ukraine accepted it.
Secondly, Trump proposed a ceasefire regarding strikes on each other’s energy infrastructure. While both the countries agreed to it, Russia never implemented it and continued attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Thirdly, Trump proposed a ceasefire regarding the Black Sea. While Ukraine accepted it, Putin rejected it. Hours after the White House announced the ceasefire, Russia said that the ceasefire would only come into effect after a slew of demands would be fulfilled , such as lifting of particular sanctions.
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View AllFourthly, Trump floated a seven-point ceasefire that contained some of the biggest Russian demands, such as the recognition of Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, ruling out Ukraine’s Nato membership, and the lifting of all US sanctions on Russia and a new political and economic relationship. Russia rejected it and laid down a host of maximalist demands.
Putin retreated as Zelenskyy raised stakes
While proposing direct talks, Putin must have not realised that Zelenskyy would corner him.
By accepting the proposal and asking for leader-level talks, Zelenskyy put Putin in a bind.
By meeting Zelenskyy in direct talks, Putin would have legitimised Ukraine as a nation and Zelenskyy as a head of state . That would be a major loss of face for Putin as the rejection of Ukraine’s nationhood and declaring Zelenskyy as an illegitimate ruler is central to his war.
In the only saving grace, Trump has also decided to not go for Turkey. Previously, Zelenskyy had invited Trump for talks and Trump had said he might attend. If Trump would have gone to Turkey while Putin skipped talks, Trump and Zelenskyy would have got another one-on-one meeting like the one in Vatican last month.