“Despite its expectations, the US and the Russian Federation did not agree on specific steps towards a complete ceasefire in Ukraine during the conversation.”, – WRITE: www.unian.ua
Despite its expectations, the US and the Russian Federation did not agree on specific steps towards a complete ceasefire in Ukraine during the conversation.
Trump and Putin did not agree on specific steps regarding the full ceasefire in Ukraine / UNIAN collageThe day before, US President Donald Trump has a telephone conversation with Russian dictator Putin. Despite its expectations, the parties did not agree on specific steps regarding the complete ceasefire in Ukraine.
A number of Western media notes that Putin is not now ready to go to Ukraine. In particular, The New York Times writes that Putin has abandoned Trump’s idea of 30 day ceasefire. And Financial Times journalists note that Trump’s peace plans are collapsing, because the US is negotiating with them.
How to treat Ukraine with Trump and Putin and what the consequences they will have, UNIAN asked a political scientist, a teacher of KNU. Taras Shevchenko Petr Oleshchuk.
There were a number of texts in the Western press that testify that Putin refused Trump’s proposal. What do you think?
In fact, so it is. Trump’s proposal was clear and unambiguous – he suggested to stop the fire for 30 days. And after the conversation was completed, that Putin and Trump did not claim – they announced exactly another. Ceasefire in the context of strokes on energy infrastructure and planning the stop of fire in the Black Sea. But no more.
The conversation between Trump and Putin, as stated, lasted about two and a half hours. Can it indicate that certain arrangements have been achieved. But do they need to be agreed before the official announcement?
This option is quite possible. But what was stated is too abstract and does not correspond to the scale of this conversation. That is, if some arrangements were – it was necessary to declare at least something large -scale. But it is obvious that they could not state anything. And this is evidenced by the announcement of a hockey match between the US and Russia. This clearly does not correspond to the scale of such a conversation. Therefore, it is not like the fact that some arrangements were still reached.
You mentioned the issue of stopping energy on energy infrastructure. Yesterday, Zelensky stated that Ukraine was ready to go for such a decision. However, in the context of constant strikes on Russian refineries, it is interesting who will be in a greater gain from this arrangement?
Recently, this decision may be even more profitable for Russia. Because we see how the SBU sanctions work successfully. As it almost daily strikes on Russian refineries. These are great expenditures for Russia. In addition, it is not the fact that they will be able to restore all this.
The same can be said about safety in the sea. Everyone saw the effectiveness of Ukrainian surface drones. Due to this, Ukraine was able to significantly push the Russian Black Sea fleet.
Therefore, I think that Russia may be even more profitable. After all, they have repeatedly struck Ukrainian energy. And many of our objects were able to destroy, in particular, it concerns gas infrastructure. And now it remains a serious problem for them.
Another question is how ready to adhere to it. After all, we remember how the so -called “grain truce” worked – Russia was still struck on the respective objects.
But summarizing, all this story with the cessation of fire on energy is first and foremost about the need to show that Trump and Putin have agreed to something. Although it is favorable by the Kremlin.
But Russia now submits this decision as another “step of goodwill”. Like, they make concessions to Ukraine.
Yes, it’s true. But they will always serve everything in this way. However, everyone see whose refineries are burning now.
After the negotiations, the parties also declared plans to create “expert” groups between Russia and the US on peaceful settlement in Ukraine. What does this mean? And why, in fact, there is no Ukrainian side? After all, it looks like the concept of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” is already buried …
The concept was abandoned by Trump’s administration almost from the beginning. But in the context of these expert groups, I think the negotiations between them will be more concerned not with the end of the war, but to restart relations with Russia. What they are constantly talking about.
Instead, the issue of war in Ukraine is more concomitant, additional. Another question is that Ukraine is facing the fact of agreement in Ukraine and Europe. After all, Europe is excluded from these processes.
And in this case can Ukraine “be in a pose” and abandon the decisions that the US and Russia will reach?
Yes, this is possible if there are any decisions that encroach on Ukraine’s sovereignty. On the one hand, it is an important issue of cooperation with the United States. On the other hand, these are great risks for Ukraine’s future. And again, Europe is very important here. It will also depend on it.
Among the statements after negotiations, there was a common opinion that Iran should never be able to destroy Israel. Can it mean that Ukraine has become a coin in the context of a more global agreement?
Yes, it looks very similar. For Trump, obviously, this question is the most important, significant. And, understanding this, Putin himself offers Trump his influence on Iran as an argument. That, for example, Trump makes some concessions about Ukraine. And Putin, accordingly, provides negotiations with Iran and some arrangements.
That is, we can come to the conclusion that Trump abandons his idea of ”peace through force”, pressing, in particular, on Russia?
So far, he does not state it directly. Trump tries to keep a good face in a bad game. He continues to tell how beautiful it is, how Putin respects him. But the facts indicate the opposite. Obviously, Trump is not ready to change his approaches at this time. He does not show the right determination and strength.
Petro Oleshchuk
political scientist, Doctor of Political Science
Since 2008, Oleshchuk has been a teacher. He is the author of more than 50 scientific works, among which – published in 2018 the monograph “The latest political technologies of information influence”, as well as international scientific publications.
Since 2006, as a political consultant Oleshchuk has repeatedly participated in election campaigns.
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