Media outlets named an unusual shared goal of Russia and Ukraine in the talks

At negotiations on settling the conflict, Russia and Ukraine have converged on one shared goal: avoiding displeasing U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Wall Street Journal writes this.

According to the report, both sides are trying to do everything possible to avoid creating the impression that either of them is obstructing a peaceful settlement.

“A senior Ukrainian official said that the three rounds of trilateral talks held this year—two in Abu Dhabi and one in Geneva—amounted to a performance meant to convince the U.S. president that Ukraine is not the problem,” the article says.

In the WSJ’s assessment, both Moscow and Kyiv believe that Donald Trump’s unpredictable behavior could harm each side. In particular, Ukraine is still receiving essential U.S. intelligence, as well as weapons purchased with European funds. As for Russia, Trump could introduce new sanctions that would reduce revenues from energy exports, the newspaper notes.

Two-day talks among Russia, Ukraine, and the United States ended in Geneva on February 18: discussions lasted six hours on the first day and only about two hours on the second. The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, called them “difficult but businesslike,” while Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the sides had “almost agreed” on a mechanism to monitor a ceasefire.

At the same time, media reports said the negotiations had “stalled,” and that a split had emerged within the Ukrainian delegation.