By Matt Underwood It all boils down to this: “Now it’s up to Zelenskyy.” This, it seems, is the new strategy. After a meeting, that seemed more like a photo-op than a serious attempt at diplomacy, the responsibility for peace has been unceremoniously tossed into the lap of the Ukrainian President. And the audacity of it all! It’s like showing up, making zero progress, and then declaring the other guy’s the problem.
The script, as it appears to have played out, went something like this: a pre-determined meeting with Putin, where the underlying agreements were probably ironed out long before anyone sat down at a table. The American public, you see, paid for what was probably an incredibly expensive show, with the location, security, and transport all contributing to the bill. And what was the purpose? To elevate and legitimize a man, Putin, who has been accused of war crimes on an international scale, a man who has, single-handedly, caused the death of countless lives by sending his own citizens into a devastating and needless war.
The predictable outcome? Trump shifts all the blame onto Zelenskyy. Because let’s face it, Zelenskyy is unlikely to accept any “deal” that involves losing territory or resources. He, along with the Ukrainian people, wants their country back, the whole country. So, when Zelenskyy inevitably rejects the “generous” terms, Trump can whine that he tried, but it was all Zelenskyy’s fault. It’s a familiar pattern, a playbook that’s been used before. It’s just a way to cozy up to Putin while making Ukraine look like the “bad guys” for not agreeing to their terms.
And the substance of all this? Well, it looks like Russia wants Ukraine to surrender parts of its territory and weaken its military. The elephant in the room, of course, is that Russia doesn’t want Ukraine to join NATO, a demand that has been a sticking point from the start. It’s a demand, frankly, that Ukraine will never accept, not after all the blood and sacrifice. What would it take to end the war? The answer seems to be: Ukraine gives up, plain and simple.
Remember, Trump promised to end the war on his first day in office. Now, after achieving nothing, he’s claiming the ball is in Zelenskyy’s court. The “negotiation” itself seems to have been a sham, a distraction from other issues, a way to make Trump look good and Putin appear less the villain. No follow-up meetings, no real discussions, just a quick meeting, followed by the inevitable blame game.
The suggestion that Zelenskyy should just accept terms from a country he hasn’t even directly negotiated with, a country that’s demanding he cede sovereign land, is both absurd and insulting. If this is truly Trump’s idea of “The Art of the Deal,” it’s a pathetic performance. If Zelenskyy were to agree, Ukraine would lose land forever, and could not rebuild its military. The consequences are clear: an increased chance of a new invasion, the end of any hope of joining NATO, and a lasting, bitter peace.
What are the possible outcomes? A freezing of the conflict, with Russia occupying some parts of Ukraine, as they did in Crimea. Zelenskyy would likely have to resign, and without serious security guarantees from the West, Russia would likely try again. Ultimately, the responsibility for this war rests squarely on Putin’s shoulders. He started it, and he can end it, right now, by withdrawing his troops. Anything less is just another tactic to make Trump, and the US, look good. It’s up to Putin, and has always been up to Putin.