Ukraine is bleeding, Trump washes hands, Europe stands aside

Politicians, experts and journalists summarize the results of the telephone conversation of Putin and Trump

On May 19, US President Donald Trump spoke for about two hours by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was their third telephone conversation after Trump returned to the White House. It was assumed that the American leader would finally convince Putin to agree to the ceasefire in Ukraine-or, in case of refusal, will impose new sanctions against Russia. Neither one nor the other happened. After the conversation, Putin promised to imagine a certain memorandum of a peaceful settlement, and Trump did not remember either the demand to end fire or the threat of sanctions. Instead, he actuallystated that the United States leaves the peace process and leave Russia and Ukraine to negotiate independently - perhaps in the Vatican, who is ready to provide a platform for this. Such a result, obviously, disappointed Ukraine and Europe: according to Financial Times, European leaders were stunned by the results of Trump and Putin's conversation. Medusa studied that politicians, experts and journalists still write about it.

Vladimir Zelensky

President of Ukraine

It is very important for us all that the United States does not distance from negotiations and the achievements of the world, because the only one who is interested in this [distance] is Putin. If Russia does not go to the cessation of murders, if Putin puts forward unrealistic conditions, this will mean that Russia continues to delay the war and deserves that Europe, America and the whole world react to additional sanctions.

Karl Bildt

Former Prime Minister of Sweden

Trump's position earlier was to first achieve a ceasefire, and then negotiate. But now he actually accepted Putin’s position: first negotiations, and then a ceasefire. The right recipe for a longer war.

Beth Sanner

Former Deputy Director of National Intelligence US

President [Trump], perhaps, did not try to put pressure on Putin at all. It’s good that they said for two hours, but what in the end? Putin continues to put forward maximalist requirements. This conversation is difficult to perceive differently as evidence that Putin received exactly what he wanted.

Andrea Kendallor

in the past - senior officer of American intelligence in Russia

Having promised voters a quick deal, Trump, as the White House spokeswoman said, is “tired”, and the members of his administration threaten to refuse to participate in the [peaceful] process. This threat is based on the idea that the war in Ukraine is primarily a European war. But she is not as far as it seems to Trump. Putin's long -term goals obviously go beyond Ukraine - he seeks to reconsider the post -war order in Europe. For Putin, this is a game with a zero sum: he is convinced that he can strengthen Russia's influence only due to the weakening of America. Trump is faced with a choice: to repulse the Kremlin now, in Ukraine, or later. The longer the United States will wait, the higher the price.

Daniel Koshchi

senior researcher at the Center of Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute

The end of the war on acceptable conditions and the approval of Trump's heritage as a peacekeeper is still possible. But for this, he must adhere to the only strategy that can bear fruit: the weakening of Putin and negotiating from the standpoint of strength. Putin is not interested in the durable world. Everything indicates that the Kremlin does everything possible to maintain their military machine on the battlefields in Ukraine and prepare for a possible future war with NATO. The more Russia receives in Ukraine, the more likely such a scenario will become.

Max But

Observer The Washington Post and a researcher at the Council on International Relations

If Ukraine stopped unilaterally fire, it would be destroyed. If Russia ceased fire, the war would end. But Trump never pronounces this obvious truth publicly - and, as far as is known, even in private. <...> His failure in the role of a peacekeeper may not become fatal for Ukraine, but definitely dispels his claims to the title of master of great deals. Faced with the adamance of Russia, it violates the main principle of successful negotiations: you need to use levers of pressure. Putin is fooling him, but Trump does not seem to even realize this.

Tatyana is becoming

political scientist

It seems that Putin found a way to offer Trump an intermediate result, without making real concessions. His idea is to coordinate a memorandum, a frame document in which the principles and a negotiation schedule will be set out. When Putin speaks of “principles”, he means the conditions under which Russia could agree to the ceasefire. In fact, we are talking about the conditions of a truce. Its goal is to return Ukraine to the process that started in Istanbul, and, apparently, he enlisted the support of Trump. It is possible that he will agree to the ceasefire in the framework of a wider settlement, which may include, for example, to freeze military assistance to Ukraine.

Sergey Radchenko

historian

Trump seems to wash his hands. There is nothing - even a hint of a threat. Putin celebrates. What a lucky one.

Lev Schlosberg

politician

Both Trump and Putin really want to move on to the question of the new world order, he causes them enthusiasm. But before that, you need to cross the huge, dotted with the bodies of the dead and the mined Ukrainian field. <...> The logic of the continuation of the war can only be broken by the logic of refusing the war. Trump is trying to launch this logic using his economic capabilities, both with Ukraine and Russia. Each such movement must be welcomed. There are no other peacekeepers now.

Anonymous diplomat from the European Union

He [Trump] leaves. Support and financing of Ukraine, pressure on Russia: now all this is on us.

James Matthew

Correspondent of the British television channel Sky News in the USA

The war that Donald Trump promised to finish in one day, in fact, turned into the one that he could not finish at all. The United States seems to abandon its leadership in the negotiation process, leaving the warring parties to understand each other. Ukraine has never been a priority for Trump. Within the framework of his geopolitical ambitions, the restoration of relations with Russia has always been considered as an important prize - especially against the background of the fact that he sees China as the main enemy. In the global context, Ukraine for Trump is only a secondary episode. And this is noticeable.

Yaroslav Trofimov

The correspondent The Wall Street Journal

Negotiations that Trump requires have now become an justification for why he does not introduce additional sanctions against Russia and does not provide additional assistance to Ukraine. This is a double victory for Putin. He will not bear any costs for his maximalist demands and will not experience pressure from the United States, requiring the bombing of Ukrainian cities and the murder of Ukrainians, while meaningless negotiations will be stretched, possibly for years. Europe, which made loud statements two weeks ago, is now awkwardly smiling aside. Ukraine continues to bleed alone.

Christian Weissflog

Neue Zuercher Zeitung correspondent in the United States

Donald Trump does not seem to consider the introduction of additional sanctions against Russia. He believes that he will be able to convince Vladimir Putin with the help of economic incentives and personal charm. In February, when Trump decided that Zelensky was not striving for the world, he immediately suspended the supply of weapons and intelligence information to Kyiv. Since then, the Ukrainian president has expressed readiness for immediate ceasefire. Putin prefers negotiating, without calling specific terms, and at the same time continues the fighting. Trump allows him to do this.

Nick Peyton Walsh

CNN correspondent

His [Trump] business instinct suggests: there is no point in long -term investments in conflict with the enemy, with whom it would be better to agree. But there can be no “deal” here. Putin does not buy - he seeks to conquer. And Trump has nothing to sell, except for the support of US allies. For decades, the leadership of America has been built on kindness to the allies, tremendous soft power and military hegemony. But Trump sees the role of America as more modest. He probably retreated. And if so, then the United States has lost the most important peace agreement since the 1940s to the Vatican.