Putin is once more pulling the strings over Ukraine – recent peace talks will result in nowhere | EUROtoday

Vladimir Putin was fast on the draw with an announcement that mentioned nothing after his two-hour cellphone name with Donald Trump, because the Russian president grabbed the narrative earlier than the Oval Office had discovered what the story even was.

The name, the White House hoped, would present how a lot affect the US president had within the Kremlin. But they had been sorely disenchanted. Instead it confirmed that it’s, once more, Putin who pulls the strings.

“We have agreed with the president of the United States that Russia will propose and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a possible future peace accord, defining a number of positions, such as, for example, the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement,” Putin advised reporters close to the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Principles of settlement? That means what occurs to the land that Russia has taken and the land that it has been already claimed as its personal. That consists of the entire of Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Kherson and Donetsk provinces.

Or it’d imply wherever in Ukraine the place Putin says Russian-speaking individuals are “in danger” and wish rescuing – like Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second metropolis. No matter that this seat of studying with its 40 universities and precise rocket scientists has steadfastly pushed Russian invaders out.

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Putin isn’t saying “no” to the calls for from world wide that he accepts an unconditional 30-day ceasefire as proposed by Ukraine and endorsed by the Trump administration. He’s not saying “yes” both – and he’s yanking Trump’s chain.

First, mentioned Putin, the 2 international locations must outline a potential ceasefire, together with its timeframe. The provide is outlined as “stop shooting” and the timeframe is “now”, however the Russian chief shrugged.

“The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis,” Putin said, after speaking to Trump. “We just need to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace.”

Trump has consistently adopted Russian negotiating platforms against Ukraine. He has also supported the Kremlin in United Nations votes and frequently blamed Ukraine for the Russian invasion of its neighbour.

He has doggedly pursued efforts to improve Russia’s economic prospects and he has used the Russian invasion to gouge a minerals deal out of Kyiv in payment for future arms support. He has also ruled out US involvement in any security force for Ukraine, even if a peace deal is one day struck.

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The US president has begun to understand that he’s appearing feeble.

When it comes to Putin he has always been weak. He’s tried to butch up in social media posts but when he’s got the man himself on the phone, all efforts to take control fail him.

“Just completed my two hour call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. I believe it went very well,” he gushed,

“The tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent. If it wasn’t, I would say so now, rather than later. Russia wants to do largescale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic “bloodbath” is over, and I agree. There is an incredible alternative for Russia to create large quantities of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED”.

Trump doesn’t say that Russia’s commerce doesn’t embrace exploiting the territories it has captured and illegally annexed. He doesn’t demand a ceasefire. He clearly put no strain on his buddy within the Kremlin.

“Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately. I have so informed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, of Ukraine,” Trump mentioned. Really? Volodymyr Zelensky has fastidiously performed Trump and never rejected his manifestly pro-Russian interventions, however known as the Kremlin’s bluff by providing ceasefires Putin gained’t take.

Talks are more likely to get underway on the Vatican. They will lead nowhere.

The EU and its non-US allies are planning to tighten oil sanctions on Russia later this week, they’ve already elevated their very own defence spending and are giving Ukraine extra army assist than America.

They know the calls from the Kremlin are value nothing, irrespective of how a lot Trump enjoys them.