“The deep causes of conflict.”
These were surprising words of a man supposedly on the way to peace.
But this is the heart of Russia’s position, Vladimir Putin, what should be resolved for peace after two weeks, or three months, depending on how to count, increasing pressure for a 30-day immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Unconcerned, serving this so -called calling in a music school on the coast of Sóchi, the Kremlin chief returned to the starting point – to his false narrative that this war by choice was triggered by the too quick expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Another five different words appeared hours earlier, which may have echoed in Putin’s ears while he was talking to US President Donald Trump for two hours.
“This is not our war,” said Vice President JD Vance earlier. Returning to his role as a very bad news of European security, Vance repeated this remarkable non-amaça: that the United States could withdraw from the war-presumably both diplomacy and help to Ukraine-unless Russia took measurements toward a peace agreement that it vehemently does not want. Washington’s retreat is exactly what Russia yearns, and to achieve this dream result, it seems that Putin need to do absolutely nothing, except continuing a brutal war.
Moments after the connection, Trump already sounded like a man moving away from the fight. Five days earlier, he had been the feverish intermediary, the peacemaker willing to overcome the enmity between Putin and the Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky for a meeting in Türkiye. But after his connection on Monday with Putin, he simply said that Ukraine and Russia should talk directly, “as they only know.” He even delegated the task to the home of the new American Pope, the Vatican, as a possible place. The United States may not be totally out of the process, but they speak as if they wanted someone else to lead them.
The last 10 days have been a vivid reminder of how little Putin really accurate the president or approval. And the logic is simple.
For most of three years of war, Russian state media has taught its audience that they are not in conflict with Ukraine alone, but also with NATO, including the United States. Trump’s presidency has created a small window in which Kremlin can, with his words, get a better position or even relieve the pain of some western sanctions.
But that does not change the calculation or central message of Kremlin: This is an existential war, about the restoration of its preeminence on its nearby abroad. So much pain and loss have been inflicted on the Russian people through impressive casualties of war that obtaining medium or bad results can significantly limit the longevity of Russian leadership. This is not a war that they can be seen as lost.
The limits of what the United States can offer Russia at the moment, in terms of influence, are visible to space. Yes, the US could even intensify sanctions, as Trump pondered last week, adding “secondary sanctions” against Russian funders, India and China oil buyers. But that would cause another commercial rupture with the world powers, which Washington has just resolved. Alternatively, the US could alleviate sanctions to persuade Russia to make concessions. But these pelic gloves would irritate their European allies and probably hesitate without the practical support of Europe.
Any new measures that were suffering Moscow would probably mean that Trump punished Russia more than his predecessor, Joe Biden. This is not the geopolitical plan of the magician. It would deepen the US involvement in a war where, frankly, there is no end in sight until one side is falter or see a drastic change in political leadership.
Ukraine in 2025 is a dark perspective. But the central principle of European politics was the best choice in a world of hideous options: Moscow could only be forced to reduce his goals if he saw an infinitely united Octan in front of him. Its economy, wealth reserves, labor, or hardware could hesitate – just one for the war machine to stutter. It’s dark, but Europe gets little choice. Ukraine has no choice.
Trump felt he had a choice. Your business insight does not see merit in a long -term investment in a conflict with an enemy you prefer to do well, whose best result is to return to Europe the peace she knew before. There is no agreement to be made here. Putin is not buying anything; He seeks to conquer and take. Trump has nothing to sell except US support to his traditional allies. There is no way Putin and Trump win and maintain their position.
American leadership has been built for decades around something beyond good and small agreements. His benevolence towards the allies, his vast power and his military hegemony made it the largest economy on the planet, with an invincible currency – a very good and important business.
But Trump sees the role of the United States as smaller. This may be the moment when Trump finally understood Putin as someone who really doesn’t seek his approval or loyalty, and retreated. If this is the case, the United States has also retreated from decades of power, admitted the limits of its focus and power, and left the most important peace agreement since the 1940s for a desperate attempt in the Vatican.
This content was originally published under review: Putin has just shown Trump how little he needs him on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
