All for Ukraine, but without speaking with Ukraine first. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, had a "long and very productive phone conversation" this Wednesday to discuss "Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the power of the dollar, and several other topics." Without previously agreeing on a position or strategy with the Government of Volodymyr Zelenski, the EU, or NATO, Washington has agreed to immediately start negotiations to end the war.
This was explained by the American president in a lengthy post on his Truth Social account. The Kremlin, through Dmitry Peskov, its spokesperson, confirmed that the call lasted an hour and a half and that Putin invited Trump to visit Moscow. Only after that did Trump call Zelenski.
"I just spoke with the President of Ukraine. The conversation went very well. He, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE. We discussed a variety of topics related to the war, but above all the meeting that is being prepared for Friday in Munich, where Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the delegation. I hope the results of this meeting are positive. It is time to stop this ridiculous war, where there has been DEATH and massive and totally unnecessary DESTRUCTION. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!"; Trump posted at noon.
"President Trump shared details of his conversation with Putin. No one wants peace more than Ukraine. Along with the United States, we are defining the next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure lasting and reliable peace. As President Trump said, let's do it," Zelenski pointed out, specifically referring to achieving something reliable and lasting, not to a still generic and undefined proposal. More interested in discussing the negotiations he is currently holding with Washington on aid in exchange for minerals than in empty words from his enemies.
Hours later, Trump spoke publicly and provided more details of the conversations. Such as Saudi Arabia being involved and that is probably where he will meet with Putin.
Europe is the big absentee in this earthquake. No mention from Trump, Putin, or Zelenski, no role, and a growing fear that both powers will 'divide' gains, territorial or natural resources, while the EU remains alone trying to offer security guarantees. A huge sense of helplessness and feeling of abandonment or betrayal, despite the signals being unequivocal for months, if not years.
"We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations and the fact that we fought together so successfully in World War II, remembering that Russia lost tens of millions of people and we, likewise, lost so many others! Each of us spoke about the strengths of our respective nations and the great benefit we will someday have from working together," wrote Trump, causing enormous unease among his partners and allies.
Russia has always wanted to break up NATO, the transatlantic link, ignore the EU and its powers. It wants to be hand in hand with Washington, as in the past. Disregard its neighbors. Now it extends a hand while the Old Continent is increasingly left alone in its boycotts, sanctions, and isolation of the aggressor.
Moscow at this stage seems to be opening up to a "long-term" solution, according to the Kremlin, but it is more than deceptive. It accepts it as long as the "deep reasons" of what it called a "special operation" are addressed. And that is not simply a ceasefire or a withdrawal. In the rhetoric of these years, it is not only about getting NATO to close its doors, as the US seems to have already accepted. Or keeping Crimea and other areas, something that Washington says is "realistic." But that there is no hostile government in Kiev. It is unlikely that any agreement between Putin and Trump will allow for the continuity of Zelenski or the more anti-Russian hardline. And Europe seems to have little room for action or influence.
"We need peace through strength, not war through weakness. A strong agreement for lasting peace, not a weak agreement that leads to more Russian aggression. Therefore, we must provide strong support to Ukraine and create solid security guarantees. Essential for our common security!" reacted Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans. "For Trump, it could be an attempt to end a war. For Putin, it is an agreement on who will be the future leader in Europe," noted Nico Lange, an analyst at the Center for European Policy Analysis and former chief of staff to the German Defense Minister. "No trace of Europe," lamented Jana Puglierin, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations.
It all starts with the initial conversation and the reading that Trump has made of it. "As we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths that are happening in the war with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my strong campaign slogan: "COMMON SENSE." We both firmly believe in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, even visiting each other's countries," Trump's message on Truth Social continues. The last US president to visit Russia was Barack Obama over a decade ago.
Criticism of the position has been immediate. "Diplomacy for beginners: Don't give anything without getting something in return. Don't negotiate in public. Don't negotiate on the future of Ukraine without coordinating the position with the Ukrainians," denounced Michael McFaul, who was the US ambassador to Moscow between 2012 and 2014.
To carry out the task, Trump has already chosen his representatives. "We have agreed that our respective teams will start negotiations immediately," he said. The Republican promised during his campaign to end the war on his first day in office, but found the situation to be very complicated. On Tuesday, he announced that he was sending his Treasury Secretary to Kiev to discuss with Zelenski how to repay the US for its assistance over the years, mainly with access to rare raw materials. And now he takes another step.
"I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations that I firmly believe will be successful. Millions of people have died in a war that would not have happened if I were president, but it did, and that is why it must end. No more lives should be lost!."
A very notable absence is that of General Keith Kellogg, the special envoy that Trump appointed precisely to resolve the war and who had a more developed plan on how to bring the two parties to the table, pressuring Putin from the start, not extending a hand. With 'escalation for de-escalation'.
In the last hours, there have been many movements, starting with the release yesterday of Marc Fogel, an English teacher who had been detained in Russia since 2021. According to CNN, Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for the Middle East who contributed to the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, met with Vladimir Putin in private in Moscow on Tuesday. This has precipitated everything.
Also fitting into that context are the words of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who today in Brussels, meeting with NATO allies, has already outlined the lines of that incipient negotiation: Ukraine will not enter the organization, will have to assume significant territorial losses. there will be no US troops initially to guarantee any peace agreement and the weight of that task must fall into the hands of Europe, provided they want to preserve a successful alliance. Extraordinary news for Russia.
This Wednesday also, the Senate confirmed, with only one Republican against, the appointment of Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, as head of national intelligence services. Gabbard, a National Guard lieutenant colonel, has alarmed the US intelligence and national security community, but also most of its allies, due to her sympathetic positions towards Russia or whistleblower Edward Snowden, who lives in Moscow.
"I want to thank President Putin for his time and effort regarding this call, and for the release, yesterday, of Marc Fogel, a wonderful man whom I personally greeted last night at the White House. I believe this effort will have a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!" he concluded his message.On Tuesday night, from the Oval Office, the president said that he "had not had to offer much" to Putin in exchange for that release. Hours later, the exchange was better understood.
"President Putin invited the US president to visit Moscow and expressed his willingness to receive American officials in Russia in those areas of mutual interest, including, of course, the issue of the settlement in Ukraine," spokesman Peskov explained to Reuters. "Putin and Trump also agreed to continue personal contacts, including organizing a face-to-face meeting."