Trump Prepares Putin-Zelensky Summit for Peace in Ukraine
The US is beginning preparations for a summit between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine. The announcement came directly from former US President Donald Trump, who announced on the social network "Truthsocial" that he had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to his post, the initiative aims to end the war, which has been going on for almost four years.
In his official statement, Trump reveals details of his plan to achieve peace. Initially, he envisions a bilateral meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky at a "location to be determined". Following this stage, Trump also plans a trilateral format that would include his participation. The American politician describes this move as "a very important first step towards ending the war". A team has been formed to coordinate diplomatic efforts with Russia and Ukraine, which includes Vice President J. D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. This group's task is to facilitate dialogue and prepare the ground for future negotiations.
Despite the ambitious plan proposed by Donald Trump, its implementation faces numerous challenges. On one hand, the Kremlin has always relied on direct negotiations, but with the caveat that they must meet certain conditions and be conducted with full consideration of Russian interests. Putin's advisor, Yuri Ushakov, confirmed that the Russian president agrees to direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, but insists on "increasing the representativeness of the delegations". This requirement raises questions about the Kremlin's true intentions and whether it is an attempt to change the format to ensure conditions favorable to Russia.
Another key element addressed in Trump's statement is the future security guarantees for Ukraine. He emphasizes that this issue was discussed with Putin and that "security guarantees for Ukraine will be provided by various European countries in coordination with the United States". The issue of security is of paramount importance to Kyiv, especially after Russia has repeatedly violated international law and the sovereignty of neighboring states. Trump concludes his message with the assurance that "everyone is very happy about the possibility of peace between Russia and Ukraine", but does not provide details on who this "everyone" is and to what extent the negotiations have progressed.
The statement by the former US president opens a new page in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. However, it comes against the backdrop of ongoing military actions, which casts doubt on both the speed and the ultimate success of such initiatives. While Kyiv insists on the full withdrawal of Russian forces from its territories, the Kremlin continues to maintain aggressive rhetoric and refuse to recognize Ukraine's territorial sovereignty. In this context, the proposal for a peace meeting, although welcomed by some circles, is accompanied by serious geopolitical complications and will require extremely precise and delicate diplomacy.