Trump proposes participation in potential discussions between Russia and Ukraine, to be held in Turkey.
Rewritten Article:
Check out this snapshot, taken on March 18, 2025, showcasing a trio of world leaders: U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. [AFP/YONHAP]
Here's some background:
- Trump's visit to Gulf Arab states, while turmoil brews in Gaza and Iran.
- Trump plans to receive a lavish aircraft as a gift from Qatar, meant to serve as Air Force One.
- Trump intends to sign an executive order lowering medicine prices in the U.S. to match other countries' rates.
On February 28, 2025, Donald Trump warmly welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington. [AP/YONHAP]
May 10, 2025, brought together UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Kyiv, Ukraine, during a summit of the Coalition of the Willing. [UPI/YONHAP]
On May 12, 2025, Trump signed an executive order aiming to reduce prescription drug prices during a press conference at the White House. [UPI/YONHAP]
Now, let's dive into the juicy details: The February 28 meeting between Trump and Zelensky was tense and fraught with pressure from Trump. Trump allegedly berated Zelensky and urged him to "pull off a deal or we're out. If we're out, it's not going to be a walk in the park for you" [3]. This implies that Trump was attempting to force Zelensky into accepting an unfavorable peace deal, possibly compromising on territorial matters like Crimea.
This encounter is linked to various other Trump-related events:
- Minerals Agreement: The meeting was part of a larger context where Trump was pursuing a minerals treaty with Ukraine, which included burdensome conditions such as Ukraine depositing 50% of its natural resource revenues into a joint fund and granting the U.S. first dibs on purchased resources [3]. This pressure came hand-in-hand with a suspension of U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
- Ukraine Peace Negotiations: Later on, Trump and Zelensky met again at the Vatican on April 26, 2025, where they explored the possibility of a ceasefire with Russia [5]. This meeting was described as fruitful, focusing on forging a lasting peace as opposed to the February meeting's confrontational tone.
- Crimea and Peace Talks: Trump hinted that Ukraine might consider relinquishing its claim to Crimea as part of a peace deal, which has long been a non-negotiable issue for Ukraine [2][4]. This contrasts with the February meeting's aggressive stance, focusing more on exerting pressure than negotiation.
In conclusion, the February 28 meeting was one of several instances where Trump applied consistent pressure on Zelensky to accept certain peace negotiation terms, eventually transitioning to more diplomatic discussions.
- The February 28 meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, fraught with tension, saw Trump urging Zelensky to "pull off a deal" to avoid potential economic hardship for Ukraine, indicating a direct link between politics and the economy in the context of war-and-conflicts.
- The politics of the situation extended beyond the bilateral meeting, as evidenced by Trump's pursuit of a minerals treaty with Ukraine, involving rigorous conditions and potentially compromising on territorial disputes like Crimea, highlighting the complex interplay between war-and-conflicts, government, and economy.
- The dynamics of the relationship were further demonstrated during the Ukraine Peace Negotiations, as Trump and Zelensky, later meeting at the Vatican on April 26, 2025, appeared to focus on a diplomatic resolution rather than confrontation, specifically forging a lasting peace amidst broader general-news contexts.
