Trump needs Putin to fulfill Zelenskyy head to head. That appears unlikely

[ad_1] After a number of livid days of fawning flattery and intense diplomatic summitry, Donald Trump's try to finish Russia's battle on Ukraine seems to hinge on whether or not Vladimir Putin accepts Trump's invitation for an additional tête-à-tête — this time, with the person whose nation he invaded, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Kremlin's preliminary response to the invite was diplomatic however non-committal.

Somewhat than a right away "nyet," Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov as a substitute underscored the immense quantity of preparations and negotiations that will be wanted earlier than any such assembly may happen, implying that his boss, Putin, is in no hurry to start out making them.

Many Ukrainians doubt that Russia's authoritarian ruler has any curiosity in both making concessions to Zelenskyy or ending his assault on their nation.

"I am very sceptical in regards to the probabilities of these two assembly collectively," stated Ukraine analyst Mykola Kapitonenko of Kyiv's Taras Shevchenko Nationwide College.

"Putin has no belief in Zelenskyy and is unwilling simply to fulfill him — the one exception being assembly to just accept Ukraine's give up."

<img loading="lazy" alt="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets some of the European leaders at the Ukrainian Embassy, ahead of their meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, in Washington, D.C., U.S., Aug. 18, 2025. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612733.1755630889!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612733.1755630889!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612733.1755630889!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612733.1755630889!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612733.1755630889!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612733.1755630889!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4955640050697085" data-cy="image-img"/> Zelenskyy met with European leaders on the Ukrainian Embassy Monday forward of their assembly with Trump. (Italian Prime Minister's Workplace/Reuters) Within the capital Kyiv, whereas there was widespread reward for the present of unity for Ukraine on the White Home by the seven European leaders who got here to again up Zelenskyy, many say they discover Trump's push for a peace deal earlier than finding out the main points unnerving.

"I need the tip of the battle. I'm drained, however solely with the situations that can be dictated by Ukraine. It can't be in any other case," stated Alexander Ponomarev, a 37-year-old soldier who advised CBC Information he is been serving in jap Ukraine for the previous two years.

Others concern Zelenskyy is being strong-armed by the U.S. president into giving Putin what he needs. "I'm completely not in favour of any negotiations, no agreements, concessions," stated Yaroslava, 21, who works in advertising and didn't give a full title.

Trump has repeatedly steered he believes Ukraine should concede conquered territories and maybe even pull out of land it nonetheless controls to be able to get a cope with Russia — an immensely unpopular notion for Ukrainians that Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated he is not going to do.

In return, Trump has stated Putin has agreed to withdraw from small enclaves of territory, with far much less strategic significance.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Alexander Ponomarev, 37, has been fighting on Ukraine's Eastern front for the past two years. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612737.1755633306!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/soldier.JPG?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612737.1755633306!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/soldier.JPG?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612737.1755633306!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/soldier.JPG?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612737.1755633306!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/soldier.JPG?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612737.1755633306!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/soldier.JPG?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612737.1755633306!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/soldier.JPG?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Alexander Ponomarev, 37, has been combating on Ukraine's Jap entrance for the previous two years. (CBC) Putin and Zelenskyy's first summit Putin, who's led Russia both as its president or prime minister for the previous 26 years, has solely met Zelenskyy as soon as in 2019, not lengthy after the Ukrainian chief's election.

On the time Zelenskyy was already a family title in Russia due to his profitable profession as a Russian-speaking comic and TV star. His Ukrainian political satire present, Servant of the Individuals — the place he performed the function of Ukraine's president — was a smash hit in each international locations.

After his real-life election as Ukraine's chief, Zelenskyy pledged to finish the battle with Russia, which started in 2014 after Putin's forces seized the Crimean Peninsula and took over many of the jap Ukrainian areas of Luhansk and Donetsk.

However when the 2 leaders met in Paris, alongside France's Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the talks achieved little.

<img loading="lazy" alt="U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin look at each other during a press conference following their meeting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612736.1755630464!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-trump.JPG?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612736.1755630464!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-trump.JPG?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612736.1755630464!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-trump.JPG?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612736.1755630464!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-trump.JPG?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612736.1755630464!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-trump.JPG?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612736.1755630464!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-trump.JPG?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.6954022988505748" data-cy="image-img"/> Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin participate in a information convention following their assembly to barter an finish to the battle in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska, final Friday. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Whereas each leaders stated their purpose was to fulfil the so-called Minsk Accords to finish the combating and reintegrate the captured territories again into Ukraine, there have been huge disagreements over implementing a ceasefire and organizing future elections within the disputed area.

Three years later, with no progress made on peace, Putin's forces launched their full scale invasion into the remainder of Ukraine, as a part of his acknowledged effort to "denazify" the nation — a euphemism for eliminating Zelenskyy and putting in a Russia-friendly puppet authorities in Kyiv.

"Putin needs a totally totally different political determine in Ukraine to speak to," stated Kapitonenko.

'Plan B' Others although aren't so fast to dismiss the probabilities of a Putin-Zelenskyy sit down — particularly if Russia's financial system continues to deteriorate and its fight losses mount.

"The Russians are shifting slower than the armies on the Battle of Verdun throughout the First World Struggle — they want a break," stated Oleksandr Kraiev, an analyst with Ukrainian Prism, a Kyiv-based political suppose tank specializing in battle research and worldwide relations.

"We [Ukraine's army] want a break for a similar causes — so for Putin, it's fairly apparent that a technique or one other he needs to cement his present successes after which prepare for the subsequent assault."

<img loading="lazy" alt="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a working session during a summit on the conflict in Ukraine at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France December 9, 2019. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612724.1755630539!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612724.1755630539!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612724.1755630539!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612724.1755630539!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612724.1755630539!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612724.1755630539!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-summit.JPG?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a working session throughout a summit on the battle in Ukraine on the Elysee Palace in Paris on Dec. 9, 2019. (Christophe Petit Tesson/Reuters) Kraiev says the opportunity of freezing the battle — not less than quickly — and retaining himself aligned with Trump represents a tempting "Plan B" for Putin as a substitute of continuous with grinding floor assaults.

Britain's Ministry of Defence stated it believes multiple million Russian troopers have been killed or injured for the reason that battle started in 2022.

Excellent points The standing of a possible summit was simply considered one of a number of contentious and still-to-be decided storylines that emerged from the White Home gathering Monday.

The assembly ended with no additional elaboration on what sort of safety ensures Ukraine would possibly obtain from Europe and the U.S. ought to Zelenskyy agree to barter with Putin.

Trump repeatedly prevented answering questions on what U.S. forces is perhaps concerned, though he advised Fox Information that floor troops wouldn't be concerned.

"It is a basic concern," stated Kapitonenko of Kyiv's Taras Shevchenko Nationwide College.

"The one means Ukraine can get safety ensures is by signing bilateral or multilateral defence pacts with Western international locations — however most of them are unwilling to try this and are incapable of delivering the wanted quantity of help in case Russia invades once more."

Europe's perceived navy weak spot is what continues to make Trump's buy-in to a U.S. navy backstop for any such association important.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits positions of armed forces near the frontline with Russian-backed separatists in Donbass region, Ukraine April 9, 2021. " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612726.1755630651!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-east-zelenskiy.JPG?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612726.1755630651!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-east-zelenskiy.JPG?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612726.1755630651!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-east-zelenskiy.JPG?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612726.1755630651!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-east-zelenskiy.JPG?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612726.1755630651!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-east-zelenskiy.JPG?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612726.1755630651!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-east-zelenskiy.JPG?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Zelenskyy visits positions of armed forces close to the frontline with Russian-backed separatists within the Donbass area of Ukraine on April 9, 2021. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service) Of their assembly in Alaska Friday, Trump additionally reversed his insistence on a right away ceasefire alongside Ukraine's jap entrance and as a substitute adopted Putin's stance that discussions and settlement on Russia's different battle calls for should come first.

European leaders and Zelenskyy have insisted the ceasefire is crucial earlier than any extra talks with Putin.

'Harmful diplomatic shortcut' Trump's always shifting positions on the battle, and obvious perception that his personal brash character is a greater software for fixing disputes than the diligent preparation work of traditional diplomacy, have come beneath repeated criticism.

In an interview on BBC Radio 4 Tuesday, retired U.S. normal Ben Hodges, who commanded U.S. Military Europe from 2014 to 2017, warned of the potential risks of Trump's dealmaking.

"This nonsense that Putin needs to do a deal to please Trump appears like one thing from a Saturday Night time Stay skit," Hodges stated. "This administration misunderstands the historical past, the cultures and the geography. They cannot even admit that Russia is the aggressor."

<img loading="lazy" alt="Smoke rises after overnight Russian drone and missile strikes on energy facilities in Kremenchuk, Poltava region, during Russia's war in Ukraine, August 19, 2025 in this still image from social media video obtained by REUTERS " srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612732.1755632131!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-attack-energy-ministry.JPG?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612732.1755632131!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-attack-energy-ministry.JPG?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612732.1755632131!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-attack-energy-ministry.JPG?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612732.1755632131!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-attack-energy-ministry.JPG?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612732.1755632131!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-attack-energy-ministry.JPG?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7612732.1755632131!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/ukraine-crisis-attack-energy-ministry.JPG?im=" style="aspect-ratio:0.5608365019011406" data-cy="image-img"/> Smoke rises after in a single day Russian drone and missile strikes on power amenities in Kremenchuk, Poltava area, throughout Russia's battle in Ukraine on Tuesday on this nonetheless picture from social media video obtained by Reuters. (Reuters) Hodges expressed grave considerations that actual human lives — hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians — are being diminished to negotiation chips by Trump.

Land swaps, stated Hodges, aren't an answer, calling them a "harmful diplomatic shortcut."

Nonetheless, analyst Kraiev says by avoiding one other blow-up with Trump, Zelenskyy has saved the U.S. President onside, and the movement of U.S. weapons and air defences for the nation continues, not less than for the second.

"Now we've got a extra productive and pro-Europe/pro-Ukrainian Trump. The method that's unfolding is significantly better than one thing we had been anticipating in Ukraine."