As peace talks stall, Russia and Ukraine share one aim: Keep Trump happy
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. GENEVA—In talks about ending the war, Ukraine and Russia have converged on one goal: to avoid angering President Trump by appearing to block peace. They continue to send delegations to talks mediated by U.S.
officials who applaud their constructive attitude and report back to Trump, who seeks a peace deal in Ukraine as his greatest diplomatic victory. U.S.-brokered negotiations in Geneva this week ended like other talks this year: with no one able to point to any real movement. The head of Russia’s delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, called the talks “tough but businesslike." Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, described them as “substantive." The U.S.
special envoy,Steve Witkoff, hailed “meaningful progress," without specifying. The upbeat diplomatic buzzwords belie the impasse in a peace process that many observers, and even some participants, said has turned into political theater. “These talks aren’t moving us closer to ending the war," said Ivo Daalder, who was a U.S.
ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization during the Obama administration. “It’s a game to avoid being blamed for Trump’s failure to end the war." “President Trump’s success in bringing both sides of this war together, including at three trilateral meetings, has continued to generate meaningful progress," said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly. “Both parties agreed to update their respective leaders and continue working towards a deal." Trump has said he is mediating to stop the loss of life even though the U.S.
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