Trump, EU leaders, and Zelensky conclude their meeting at the White House
U.S.-led Summit on Ukraine: A Step Towards Peace, But Challenges Remain
In a significant development, President Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, and several European leaders gathered at the White House on August 18, 2021, to discuss the future of Ukraine. The summit, which followed a meeting between Trump, European leaders, and Zelensky at the White House, aimed to bring peace to the war-torn nation.
Keir Starmer, a British politician, arrived in Washington, D.C. to observe the proceedings. Before the summit, Zelensky held talks with US special envoy Keith Kellogg and met with Finland's President Alexander Stubb in a preparatory meeting.
Trump expressed optimism that an agreement can be reached to deter future aggression against Ukraine. He stated that if peace is achieved, it will be long-term and that the US and Russia will work together to ensure its success. Trump also indicated that Europe would be the first line of defense in any post-war settlement, with some American assistance.
However, the specific conditions proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin for ending the war in Ukraine were not clearly defined or publicly disclosed. Putin's conditions are believed to include ceding Donbas, giving up attempts to recover Crimea, and abandoning plans to have Ukraine join NATO. Russian officials have insisted that Russia must play a key role and have veto power over any future security guarantees for Ukraine.
Zelensky, in his remarks, thanked President Trump for his efforts to stop the war in Ukraine. He also denounced Russia for continuing attacks on Ukrainian cities, resulting in the death of two children and dozens of injuries. Zelensky posted on social media that peace for one country in Europe means peace for all of Europe and that he is ready to work to end the war and ensure reliable security.
Despite tentative commitments and diplomatic interactions, no meaningful breakthroughs or detailed peace conditions from Putin were achieved. The Kremlin’s uncompromising stance was underlined by continued military actions, such as the missile strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure soon after the summits. White House statements about agreements with Putin were later contradicted by the Kremlin, highlighting the lack of clarity or consensus on Putin’s specific peace terms.
In summary, the prevailing analysis is that Putin’s conditions revolve around Russia having a decisive role and veto power in any security guarantees for Ukraine, avoiding immediate ceasefire without securing these conditions, and maintaining leverage through ongoing military pressure rather than engaging in good faith negotiations. No detailed or public list of specific conditions from Putin emerged from the meetings with Trump and Zelensky; the Russian side’s demands remain vague but centered on dominance over Ukraine’s security decisions.
The world watches with bated breath as the negotiations continue, hoping for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
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