Trump Hints Trilateral Ukraine Peace Talks May Not Happen In Person

More disappointment: President Trump has hinted that any near-future trilateral talks involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine to end the war might not actually take place in person.

Trump told reporters that a meeting is set to happen soon. “I would say it would be a meeting. They’d like to have a meeting, so we’ll see. We’ll probably make it. It could be done not necessarily through a meeting otherwise too, but I would say it’ll happen over the next not too long,” the president described. 

And yet the whole touted ‘breakthrough’ aspect of it (touted widely in headlines earlier this month) hinges precisely on a trilateral meeting happening in person, involving Putin, Zelensky, and Trump mediating. Trump while on the prior campaign trail promised to resolve the conflict by ‘day one’ in office. There are still hopes he cold do it, but the stalemated conflict appears intractable at this late point.

But Russian state media is interestingly enough presenting the comments as an indicator that an in person summit is unlikely to happen: Trump Says Talks With Putin, Zelensky May Not Be in Person.

Trump has of late been piling the pressure on Zelensky, saying he’s not willing to make peace and even suggesting he should be removed and new elections should take place.

As for peace remaining elusive, the two warring sides can’t even hold to an energy ceasefire, despite some recent attempts by Washington to impose one.

Over in Moscow, President Putin has long insisted that his ‘special military operation’ will continue until Russia’s goals are complete, with or without a peace settlement. 

This insistence has featured that the annexed territories be politically recognized as Russia’s on a permanent basis. However, Russia may see in this ‘demilitarized’ Donbass clause a way forward towards future political recognition. 

A recently reported new Trump peace plan is said to include:

• Demilitarized zone in Donbas
• Ukraine abandons NATO
• Investment package & EU membership for Ukraine
• Russian business deals with US companies, lifting sanctions & normalization of political relations
• Resumptions of Russian gas supplies to Europe & Nord Stream

Reportedly only a draft outline has been circulating this month, coming at a time Zelensky is under immense pressure and criticism from the Trump White House.

Moscow has lately reacted positively reports that the US has throttled intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, and also as the White House has been demanding that Kiev halt all attacks on Russian oil refineries. The Kremlin is seizing the moment to improve bilateral relations, including talking up future joint US oil deals.