Trump understands that he cannot force Ukraine to make concessions without something in return — Bloomberg

Donald Trump may only now be starting to consider how he could achieve peace in Ukraine, a promise he made “within 24 hours” during the heat of his election campaign. In talks with European leaders, he even acknowledged that he might need to put pressure on Russia’s president, rather than Ukraine’s.

This is reported by Bloomberg.

European Union leaders, meeting in Budapest on Thursday and Friday, are trying to agree on continuing military support for Ukraine should Trump decide to scale it back. However, they are also considering potential joint actions, albeit in a restructured form. A major concern is that Trump might attempt to shift the financial burden onto Europe, although initial conversations with him have not indicated any drastic change in policy, according to a source familiar with EU discussions and phone talks with Trump.

In at least one of these conversations, Trump’s potential approach to negotiations with Vladimir Putin was reportedly discussed, said a high-ranking official aware of the call. According to this source, Trump conveyed that he understands he cannot simply force Ukraine to make concessions to Putin without receiving something in return. In Budapest, Volodymyr Zelensky strongly opposed any pressure on Kyiv, telling European leaders:

“Some of those present here have persistently recommended that Ukraine make ‘concessions.’ This is unacceptable for Ukraine and would be suicidal for all of Europe.”

When asked about Trump’s promise to quickly achieve peace, Zelensky responded:

“We all want this war to end; it is a tragedy… but if it ends quickly, it will be a loss for Ukraine.”

Thomas Graham of the Council on Foreign Relations, who advised President George W. Bush on Russian policy, believes Trump had no real understanding of what he was dealing with before the elections:

“Trump sees himself as a grand peacemaker, but there is no indication that he has thought through the specifics of the issue.”

When Trump “faces the harsh truth and loses the illusion that he can reach a deal with Putin, he may take it personally,” says Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Foreign Policy. At that point, the U.S. president might become more actively supportive of Ukraine and could take some radical steps for its support, Merezhko told BBC Russian Service.

Trump has announced his intention to talk to Putin.

“I think we will speak,” he said in an interview with NBC, adding that he had spoken to around 70 world leaders since November 6.

Putin, for his part, stated at a meeting of the Valdai Club that he “would not consider it improper to call” Trump himself and that he is “ready, ready” to engage in discussions with him.

“The statements about a desire to restore relations with Russia and contribute to resolving the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, deserve at least some attention,” Putin remarked.