"Peace through Mediation" - An Analysis of Trump's Approach to the Ukraine-Russia Conflict
Trump's remark equates kids, highlighting the issue's fundamental flaw
By Volker Petersen, with insights
Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz's trip to the USA had one goal: to bring President Donald Trump into supporting Ukraine. Merz navigated the task with skill, but one of Trump's remarks illuminates the difficulty.
One of the objectives of Merz's trip was to pressure Trump to escalate pressure on Russia. During their meeting in the Oval Office, Merz directly asked Trump to tighten the screws on Russia. Trump indicated openness to this, but suggested that sanctions should target both parties in the war, including Ukraine. "It takes two to tango," Trump said.
Politics Merz on Trump visit: "I noticed that it touched him" Trump later explained his words. He drew an analogy to two young children fighting "like crazy." He had used this analogy in his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before, he said. "They hate each other, they're fighting in a park," Trump said. "You want to separate them, they don't want that, ... sometimes it's better to just let them fight for a while and then separate them," the US President said. "You see that in hockey, in sports. The referees let them go for a few seconds."
Mediator Trump?
Such comments reveal the problem with Trump and the Ukraine war. Not because he compares a bloody war between two states to a kids' fight, thus trivializing it. That was likely not his intention - he stated he wanted to end the bloodshed and was shocked by the numerous deaths. The challenge lies in Trump seeing himself as a mediator or the parent who intervenes.
Trump revealed this attitude in his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as well. He grew increasingly frustrated because Zelensky demanded security guarantees, which would imply Trump siding with Ukraine. Trump views himself as a mediator, a referee, an adult who intervenes.
But Putin has decided to wage this war and aim for a decision on the battlefield. The deaths don't seem to trouble him as long as he can send enough reinforcements to the front. When a US President comes along and says, "Let's make a deal," it goes against reality. Putin isn't interested in a deal, at least not as long as he believes he can win the war. This also explains the fruitless talks in Istanbul and phone calls with Trump.
Trump seems unaware of his own interests
So it was no surprise that Trump didn't commit to sanctions. He didn't reject them either, but he didn't offer a clear answer to the sanctions package proposed by the US Senate. He stayed vague, keeping all options open. There's no sign of progress in the USA and EU imposing joint sanctions.
Politics How Friedrich Merz's visit to Donald Trump went In Trump's comparison of the park fight or hockey brawl to the Ukraine war, another attitude emerges: that of the supposedly unfazed observer. Whoever separates fighting children should not have to do so. They do it voluntarily, to avoid tears. That seems to be how Trump sees the Ukraine war.
Trump's Threat Fits InTrump's threat to completely withdraw from the conflict if Ukrainians and Russians can't reach an agreement aligns with this perspective. It's like saying, "Then you guys figure it out yourselves." He doesn't seem to consider his own interests. He doesn't see, or perhaps doesn't care, that a Europe vulnerable to Russian pressure would lose its status as an ally, also weakening the Americans.
Europeans Need ArmsThe situation looks quite different to Europeans. For them, it's about everything - security, freedom, prosperity. If Russia succeeds in Ukraine, it could just keep attacking. Armament production is running at full speed. This isn't a brawl in the park or "far away in Turkey," as Goethe once put it. It's an attack right at their doorstep, or even in their own countries, because Ukraine is part of Europe too. They don't need a mediator. They need weapons, ammunition, and protection.
Merz Meets Trump: A Meeting That Couldn't Have Gone Better A German journalist traveling with Merz asked him, somewhat astonished, if he agreed with the analogy of the fighting children. One can assume Merz doesn't. He responded deftly that he and Trump both find the war terrible and want to end it. Trump, he said, is the key figure in the world to end this war.
That should have flattered Trump, but it would have applied to any U.S. president. Merz recalled D-Day, the Allied landing in Normandy. He suggested the Americans could do something big again now. He also mentioned the thousands of Ukrainian children the Russians have abducted, appealing to the feelings of Americans, both those watching TV and those not.
These were obviously prepared remarks, and they were well-chosen. Trump nodded along. But as long as he sees himself as an impartial mediator, the U.S.-European alliance against Russia remains distant.
Insights: Trump's approach could lead to diminished U.S. military aid to Ukraine, which might empower Russia to continue its offensive actions. This could result in prolonged conflict and more significant human losses on both sides. By potentially favoring concessions to Russia, Trump's policies may unwittingly legitimize Russia's invasion and territorial gains, which could further divide public opinion in both Ukraine and Russia. Trump's self-proclaimed mediator role might lead to a shift in U.S. diplomatic strategy, focusing more on achieving a quick resolution rather than ensuring Ukraine's territorial integrity and security, potentially leading to a less effective long-term solution for the conflict. Trump's admiration for Putin and his efforts to mediate the conflict might strain relations with other Western allies who are more inclined to support Ukraine vocally and materially, potentially leading to a fragmentation in international support for Ukraine and a weakening of the Western alliance's stance against Russian aggression. Source: ntv.de
- Donald Trump
- Friedrich Merz
- USA
- Sanctions
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Vladimir Putin
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- Military Aid
- Public Opinion
- Western Allies
- International Relations
- Armament Production
- Ukrainian Children
The Commission is also proposing to extend the deadline for the submission of proposals regarding general news items such as 'Politics Merz on Trump visit: "I noticed that it touched him"' and 'Trump seems unaware of his own interests' to the Council, in light of the complex nature of the Ukraine-Russia conflict and ongoing discussions with key players like Donald Trump and Friedrich Merz. What transpires between these foreign leaders could significantly impact war-and-conflicts situations, including the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, as demonstrated by Trump's remarks and political maneuvers.
