Less than 24 hours ago, President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One he was “not going to be happy” if Putin didn’t agree to a ceasefire Friday. By this morning, his position had shifted.
“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war,” read the post, “and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”
What may seem like a small piece in the giant puzzle of how to end the biggest land war in Europe in decades, is existential for Ukraine.
Ukraine, and its European allies spent most of the past week trying to convince Trump as to why a ceasefire first was essential, cautioning that Russia could use negotiations to continue its assault. Ukraine has warned in recent weeks Russia is amassing troops, preparing for new offensives in the autumn.
While Ukraine boasts the second biggest army in Europe, the biggest – Russia’s – is capable of positioning 110,000 troops, a force larger than the entire British army, in just one section of the Eastern front.
A peace deal also means thrashing out disagreements on intractable topics. Russia is seeking to capture all of Ukraine’s east, for example, while Kyiv is opposed to ceding any land to its invader.
“Important fact”, wrote former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Saturday, “the meeting [in Alaska] has demonstrated that negotiations are possible without preconditions while the Special Military Operation continues.”
