By Matt Underwood Zelenskiy’s quest to secure a place at any potential Trump-Putin talks, isn’t about “winning” in the sense of gaining something entirely new. Instead, it’s more about maintaining the existing, strong backing from the EU and NATO. It’s a crucial effort because, frankly, the EU and NATO have always been solidly in Ukraine’s corner, fully supporting them from the get-go. Their unwavering support is a fundamental aspect of the situation, not something Zelenskiy is just now acquiring.
Initially, the idea was a three-way summit, Trump, Putin, and Zelenskiy. However, after some discussions, the potential for any meaningful progress from having both sides present became clear. Now, it appears Trump is hoping to get Putin to make even a small concession, some symbolic gesture. But, the general feeling is that this is a bit of a long shot. Putin isn’t known for giving anything away. Zelenskiy himself is very clear: any decisions reached that don’t include Ukraine will be meaningless, just empty words. The recent joint statement from leaders in key European countries – Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission – underscores this. They’ve stated that any diplomatic solution has to protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s security interests.
Adding to the complexity, there are concerns about potential shifts in the US’s involvement. There are whispers of a possible complete withdrawal from the conflict. This wouldn’t just mean stopping weapon deliveries bought by Europe for Ukraine; it could also involve halting the transfer of vital intelligence and perhaps even disrupting operations like Starlink, a satellite internet service that’s been important for Ukraine. A worry here is that the meetings between Trump and Putin may not be fully transparent, that they aren’t properly recorded. This is a problem for multiple reasons, including national security. It really does become important that someone, someone not aligned with Trump, somehow gets a way to monitor what is said.
The behavior of individuals in close contact with Trump is a cause for concern. Those who might feel intimidated or who have their own agendas can be dangerous in such situations. This is very much a situation where historical parallels can be drawn. The hope now is that the pressure from the EU and NATO will be enough for Zelenskiy to have a say in any secret Trump-Putin meeting. The general expectation is that Putin will not be cooperative, even if Trump tries to negotiate a deal. It’s a scenario where Trump might later blame Ukraine for the failure to reach an agreement, which would allow him to wash his hands of the situation.
The idea that the US might cozy up to Russia is frightening. It raises questions about the future of the US and how it will behave on the world stage. There’s a sense that this could go either way. Some things like Starlink are controlled, but things like the transfer of intelligence might cease. The concern about weapon delivery is also important. The US may still be able to benefit from this. It might be that the US takes the credit for supporting Ukraine, but Europe pays for the weapons. This is a strategic move. Hopefully, Ukraine, along with its allies, can pull through.
The overall concern remains that human life isn’t always the deciding factor for world leaders. It should be. But it rarely is. Russia’s position, and Putin’s unwillingness to end the war, is a major problem. It would be like the US and Russia merging. It might be that Trump will agree with whatever Putin suggests, present it as a good deal, and then blame the Ukrainians. Putin may believe that someone as great as Trump would understand Russia’s position and pressure Ukraine to give in. There are also concerns about leverage Putin has over Trump, as it may be based on compromising material. There are also the ideological overlaps between the Trump administration and Putin. It all creates a very unsettling situation.