It’s hard enough to negotiate with an enemy you do not trust. But imagine not being able to trust your most critical ally, either.
Ukrainians obviously cannot trust Putin, a man with a long history of broken promises. But they also cannot trust Trump, another man with a long history of broken promises. Somehow, though, these are the two men pressuring Kyiv to go for a “peace agreement” that could force Ukraine to give up a huge chunk of its territory to an invading Russia.
Ukrainians take care to distinguish between Trump and Putin. The latter, they point out, is a former spy and skilled manipulator responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths. Trump at least seems sincere in wanting to end the war, some told me.
But, despite some harsh words for Putin earlier this year, Trump seems once again intent on impressing the Kremlin chief. He rolled out the red carpet when they met in Alaska last week. He also called Putin on Monday, as well as meeting with European leaders. Afterward, he wrote on social media that his team would work with Putin’s to arrange a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, to be followed by a trilateral session that also includes Trump.
But Trump’s adoption of Putin’s talking points on Ukraine, including saying Moscow won’t give up the Crimean region, and his on-again, off-again support of the Ukrainian cause, means that, for Kyiv, the diplomatic field is arguably more unpredictable than the battlefield.
“I’m laughing, honestly laughing,” she said when I asked about how Ukrainians could trust Trump’s promises. “It’s about American credibility. It’s not about Trump. You guys are losing credibility worldwide.”
The problem with this war is that the outcome affects Europe and America a great deal so leaving it to Ukraine and Russia to solve just isn't enough.
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