Concerns among Ukrainians about potential exclusion during peace talks to end the conflict
A potential summit between President Trump and Vladimir Putin, scheduled for the coming days, is unlikely to produce a real breakthrough in ending the war in Ukraine. Despite Trump's calls for a ceasefire, Russia has continued to escalate its drone attacks, causing civilian casualties and further fueling the conflict.
Russia's intentions in the summit appear to be more about influencing U.S. policy and pushing for blame shifting towards Ukraine, rather than seeking a peaceful resolution. Putin, known as a "masterful manipulator," comes well-prepared to shape outcomes favorably for Russia.
The exclusion of Ukraine from the summit raises concerns about undermining Ukraine's position, reminiscent of the pre-WWII Munich Agreement where major powers agreed on outcomes without the affected country’s input. This exclusion could potentially lead to decisions affecting Ukraine's sovereignty and security without its direct involvement.
During the summit, no agreement on a ceasefire was reached. While Putin praised Trump's peace efforts as "energetic and sincere," he showed no clear willingness to move toward a ceasefire. The lack of a joint agreement suggests limited leverage achieved in these talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is taking a low-key approach regarding the potential summit, focusing instead on maintaining a positive relationship with Trump. Zelenskyy had two phone calls with Trump this week, which he described as positive. However, he expressed concerns about being sidelined in any potential deal made between Trump and Putin.
President Trump has set a deadline for imposing new sanctions on Russia if it fails to take steps toward ending the war in Ukraine. However, the deadline is now a possibility that may be ignored, as Trump stated that it will be up to Putin whether the new sanctions on Russia will be imposed.
Experts and Ukrainian officials express skepticism that a Trump-Putin meeting alone can meaningfully advance peace without Ukraine’s direct involvement and mutual concessions. The dynamic favors Russia leveraging the summit to reshape the narrative rather than ending the conflict decisively.
In the meantime, the war in Ukraine continues, with Russia carrying out another big drone strike overnight, hitting several cities and causing civilian casualties. Ukrainians are worried that Trump and Putin may make a deal at the summit that doesn't include input from Ukraine, potentially exacerbating the ongoing conflict.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/us/politics/trump-putin-summit.html [2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-summit/trump-putin-fail-to-reach-deal-on-syria-ukraine-idUSKCN1MW29V [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/trump-putin-summit-in-helsinki-what-we-know-so-far/2018/07/16/06e0837c-f934-11e8-b700-65811f7f216f_story.html
- The upcoming summit between Trump and Putin seems more focused on politics and influencing U.S. policy, as Russia aims to shift the blame towards Ukraine instead of seeking a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine, much like the pre-WWII Munich Agreement that overlooked the affected country's input.
- The war in Ukraine continues unabated, with Russia using drone attacks to cause civilian casualties, raising concerns that a potential agreement between Trump and Putin may neglect Ukraine's sovereignty and security, further fueling the conflict and general news coverage.
