Will the presidents of Russia and Ukraine shake hands this week for the first time ever? In recent days, we’ve seen a flurry of developments around the possibility of contacts between Kyiv and Moscow, but for now, it’s still too early to declare a historic meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
Since Donald Trump entered the White House, he has launched a broad campaign aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine. His strategy focuses first on pressuring Ukraine—the weaker side—to show readiness for concessions. At the same time, Trump's team is holding bilateral talks with Moscow to extract as many gains as possible from the Russian side—not necessarily related solely to the Ukrainian issue.
However, in recent weeks, Trump appears to be losing patience with the lack of progress in bridging the sides' positions, and he is now reportedly considering abandoning his mediation efforts altogether. We're seeing more statements from him criticizing both sides—unlike in the early months of his presidency, when he avoided directly challenging the Kremlin's stance.
Neither Zelensky nor Putin wants to be seen by Trump as obstructing his efforts. At the end of April, Putin announced a three-day ceasefire around May 9th events (Victory Day over Nazi Germany, which he marks each year with ostentatious military pomp). The move was criticized in the West, since fighting on the ground continued, and Moscow ignored a Ukrainian counterproposal to extend the ceasefire to 30 days.
Last week, Zelensky put forward a new proposal for a one-month ceasefire, this time coordinated with European leaders and with Trump’s declared support. Now it was Putin's turn for a counterproposal: direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine—without a prior ceasefire. Just a few hours later, Zelensky announced he was willing to meet with Putin in person, at the time and place proposed by the Russian president.
Putin has repeatedly shown contempt and refusal to recognize Zelensky as a legitimate leader of Ukraine, seeing him as neither an equal nor a suitable negotiating partner. But now, he has fallen into a trap of his own making. Last night (May 12), Trump even hinted he may travel to Istanbul to join the talks. Putin must now figure a way out of the situation he created for himself.
Will the presidents of Russia and Ukraine shake hands this week for the first time ever? In recent days, we’ve seen a flurry of developments around the possibility of contacts between Kyiv and Moscow, but for now, it’s still too early to declare a historic meeting between Putin and Zelensky.
Since Donald Trump entered the White House, he has launched a broad campaign aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine. His strategy focuses first on pressuring Ukraine—the weaker side—to show readiness for concessions. At the same time, Trump's team is holding bilateral talks with Moscow to extract as many gains as possible from the Russian side—not necessarily related solely to the Ukrainian issue.
However, in recent weeks, Trump appears to be losing patience with the lack of progress in bridging the sides' positions, and he is now reportedly considering abandoning his mediation efforts altogether. We're seeing more statements from him criticizing both sides—unlike in the early months of his presidency, when he avoided directly challenging the Kremlin's stance.
Neither Zelensky nor Putin wants to be seen by Trump as obstructing his efforts. At the end of April, Putin announced a three-day ceasefire around May 9th events (Victory Day over Nazi Germany, which he marks each year with ostentatious military pomp). The move was criticized in the West, since fighting on the ground continued, and Moscow ignored a Ukrainian counterproposal to extend the ceasefire to 30 days.
Last week, Zelensky put forward a new proposal for a one-month ceasefire, this time coordinated with European leaders and with Trump’s declared support. Now it was Putin's turn for a counterproposal: direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine—without a prior ceasefire. Just a few hours later, Zelensky announced he was willing to meet with Putin in person, at the time and place proposed by the Russian president.
Putin has repeatedly shown contempt and refusal to recognize Zelensky as a legitimate leader of Ukraine, seeing him as neither an equal nor a suitable negotiating partner. But now, he has fallen into a trap of his own making. Last night (May 12), Trump even hinted he may travel to Istanbul to join the talks. Putin must now figure a way out of the situation he created for himself.