The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has two options on how to respond to the long-term peace conditions proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Ukraine. This opinion was expressed by Ukrainian journalist and publicist Vitaliy Portnikov. This information was reported by Kontrakty.UA.
All the details can be found in an exclusive report by TSN.ua.
Putin has made it clear to Trump that a long-term peace is only possible on Russian terms. These terms involve placing Ukraine under Russia's unconditional sphere of influence.
"There was essentially an ultimatum from Putin to Trump. It was clearly explained that no Trump plan, which aimed at a ceasefire between the parties, maintaining the status quo along the front line, possibly with the introduction of some peacekeeping contingent, could take place; there can only be conditions for long-term peace on Russian terms. And this long-term peace simply means handing over Ukraine and other former Soviet republics into the unconditional sphere of influence of the Russian Federation, which might involve the elimination of Ukrainian statehood and the establishment of a Russian sphere of influence in Central Europe," the journalist explained.
He noted that these conditions were presented by Putin to the previous American administration under President Joseph Biden back in 2022. Portnikov is convinced that the Russian president "has not stepped back from these conditions even a bit." Therefore, in this situation, Trump has two courses of action.
"Trump has a rather straightforward choice – either to shamefully capitulate to Putin and agree to these terms, or to continue exerting pressure on Putin throughout his entire term and make this pressure the essence of his administration's policy in Europe. How ready Donald Trump is for such a difficult choice, and how well he understands that he has come to be not a president of peace, but a president of serious war – this is a huge question," the publicist stated.
At the same time, US President Donald Trump announced the possibility of introducing new tariffs and sanctions against Moscow if Russia does not agree to end the war in Ukraine. These statements were perceived as a positive signal by European allies and supporters of Ukraine. They saw this as a sign that Trump understands the scale of the conflict and will not abandon Ukraine or NATO in his future negotiations with Vladimir Putin. This was reported by Politico journalists.
"If Putin thinks he can corner the president into a position that makes it look like he was deceived by Russia, then he is in for another unpleasant surprise," said former US Vice President Mike Pence.
Appointments and NATO — Grounds for Optimism?
Optimism is also sparked by some of the appointments made by Trump. His national security advisor is Mike Waltz, and his Secretary of State is Marco Rubio, both considered staunch opponents of Russia. Additionally, Trump initiated a new campaign to increase defense spending among NATO countries to 5% of GDP, indicating an intention to strengthen the Alliance's defense capabilities.
"I would be lying if I said we are not concerned about Trump's return. We are preparing for challenges, but there is a certain area where I can express cautious optimism — this is Ukraine and NATO," noted a European ambassador who wished to remain anonymous.
Negotiation Experience with Kim Jong Un as a Precedent
Some pro-Ukrainian Republicans remind that in 2019, Trump refused to enter into a significant nuclear deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, despite all expectations from the historic summit. They believe he may act similarly during negotiations with Putin regarding Ukraine.
"He understands what stakes can be made with Putin. If it's a bad deal, he will see it and may walk away from it," said one administration official.
Russiagate No Longer an Obstacle
Another advantage is that this time Trump is free from the "baggage" associated with allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. This gives him more freedom in shaping policy towards Russia.
"And say what you want about his methods, but do you really think he wants to go down in history as the person who lost Ukraine?" remarked a representative of his new administration.