Donald Trump spoke with the Russian president, then with the Ukrainian president, to discuss the launch of negotiations aimed at putting an end to the conflict. An initiative that left the European allies skeptical.
In a few days will take place the three years at the start of the war in Ukraine. From his presidential campaign, Donald Trump had pompously announced that he would end this conflict quickly. The American leader, who seems to want to accelerate on this issue, spoke at length with Vladimir Putin in the evening of February 12. On Truth Socialthe president evokes “an prolonged and very productive conversation” with the Russian president. The two leaders mentioned “Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the power of the dollar and various other subjects,” reports the American president.
On the Ukrainian file, they would have decided to launch “immediate” negotiations to put an end to the conflict and should “probably” meet soon in Saudi Arabia. Donald Trump envisaged “a cease-fire in the future not so distant” and assured that this “war would not have taken place if he had been president”. Moscow, by the voice of the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, evokes a call of an hour and a half with the desire to find a “long -term solution” via “peace talks”.
Donald Trump then contacted the Ukrainian president. “I had a long and in -depth conversation with President Trump. I appreciate his sincere interest in the opportunities we share and for the way we can reach a real peace,” said Volodymyr Zelensky on x. He explained to hope that the United States will be able to “push Russia to peace”. During this interview, the American president would have communicated to him “the details of his conversation with Putin”. This chronology chosen by the American president, Putin then Zelensky, breaks with the policy of Joe Biden vis-à-vis Ukraine.
Zelensky open to negotiations, distrustful Europe
The day before, Volodymyr Zelensky had already advanced, with The Guardianthat if negotiations took place between Ukraine and Russia, exchanges of territories would be possible, in particular at the level of the border region of Koursk which Ukraine has taken hold. The Ukrainian President changed his rifle, he who initially wanted to beat Russia on the battlefield, but his army is struggling in front of that of Russian. He also considered that Europe was not enough to guarantee the security of his country.
These discussions also took place without consultation with the European allies. This is why the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs alerted that the latter “must participate in any negotiation”. At the end of a meeting in Paris of the chiefs of French, Polish, German, Spanish, Italian, British and Ukrainian diploma, a press release was also published in this direction: “We wish to discuss the path to our American allies.
NATO secretary general, Mark Rutte, also hammered before the Allied Defense Ministers that Ukraine should be “closely engaged” in peace negotiations and that any agreement must be “sustainable”.