The Guardian view on Ukraine peace talks: Putin is taking Trump for another ride on the Kremlin carousel | Editorial
In the wake of Donald Trump’s Thanksgiving Day deadline for a peace agreement in Ukraine, the Kremlin’s stance on negotiations has become increasingly clear. Mark Galeotti, a noted Russia expert, highlights a stark message from a foreign policy scholar close to President Vladimir Putin: as long as military actions persist, Russia retains leverage in negotiations. The moment hostilities cease, however, Moscow risks facing unified political and diplomatic pressure from the West, effectively isolating itself. This observation underscores the Kremlin’s strategy of maintaining conflict to secure favorable terms in any potential agreement, revealing a broader pattern of Russia’s approach to international diplomacy.
President Putin’s demands reveal his unwillingness to engage in meaningful talks that respect Ukraine’s sovereignty. Instead, he seeks to impose terms that would see Ukraine surrender additional territories, particularly in the eastern regions. His recent rhetoric reflects a desire for Ukraine’s capitulation, positioning the Ukrainian government as “illegitimate” while questioning the validity of any future agreements. This hardline stance suggests that Putin is not merely interested in a ceasefire but is determined to reabsorb Ukraine into Russia’s sphere of influence, whether through military means or a politically advantageous deal, potentially backed by figures like Trump. As the conflict continues, the call for equipping Kyiv with the necessary resources to defend itself becomes increasingly urgent, positioning support for Ukraine as essential for a just and lasting settlement to the ongoing crisis.
In this context, the international community faces a crucial decision: to bolster Ukraine’s defenses against further Russian aggression or risk enabling Moscow’s ambitions through inaction. The implications of these choices will resonate far beyond the battlefield, shaping the future of European security and the principles of national sovereignty in the face of aggression. The situation remains fluid, and as both sides prepare for potential escalations, the urgency for a comprehensive strategy that supports Ukraine while countering Russian expansionism has never been more critical.
Russia’s president is only interested in a deal on Moscow’s terms. Equipping Kyiv with the resources to fight on is the quickest route to a just settlement
As Donald Trump’s Thanksgiving Day deadline for a Ukraine peace agreement came and went this week, the Russia expert Mark Galeotti
pointed
to a telling indicator of how the Kremlin is treating the latest flurry of White House diplomacy. In the government paper Rossiyskaya Gazeta, a foreign policy scholar close to Vladimir Putin’s regime bluntly observed: “As long as hostilities continue, leverage remains. As soon as they cease, Russia finds itself alone (we harbour no illusions) in the face of coordinated political and diplomatic pressure.”
Mr Putin has no interest in a ceasefire followed by talks where Ukraine’s rights as a sovereign nation would be defended and reasserted. He seeks the capitulation and reabsorption of Russia’s neighbour into Moscow’s orbit. Whether that is achieved through battlefield attrition, or through a Trump-backed deal imposed on Ukraine, is a matter of relative indifference. On Thursday, the Russian president
reiterated
his demand that Ukraine surrender further territory in its east, adding that the alternative would be to lose it through “force of arms”. Once again, he described Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government as “illegitimate”, and questioned the legally binding nature of any future agreement.
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