Before the planned meeting of US President Donald Trump and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian leadership and their European allies emphasized the limits of their willingness to compromise.
International borders should not be changed violently, it said in a joint explanation of Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Great Britain, Finland and the EU Commission. The Ukrainian President Wolodyymr Selenskyj rejected territory to Russia and vehemently demands that they are involved in negotiations on the future of Ukraine.
Sensible negotiations are only possible “in the context of a ceasefire or a reduction in hostilities”, the Europeans confirmed. The current course of the front could only be a “starting point for negotiations”. Ukraine also needs robust and credible security guarantees.
Area allegations are not only for Selenskyj taboo
Trump wants to meet Putin personally next Friday – not on a neutral soil, as previously speculated, but in the US state of Alaska. In Kiev, Berlin and Brussels, it is feared that both could work towards the Russian occupiers on the area of Ukraine. According to media reports, Putin has sent the USA corresponding claims.
After three and a half years, the Ukrainian population is tired of war with non -stop Russian attacks. However, an assignment of areas would cause severe domestic upheavals – and also require a constitutional change.
Trump-Vice Vance meets Europeans and Ukrainians
On Saturday, high -ranking government officials and security advisors from the USA, Ukraine and several European countries came together – including US Vice President JD Vance, who from his critical stance towards the traditional allies of the United States in Europe. Hardly anything became known about the content of the talks, which Selenskyj described as “constructive”.
“The way to peace for Ukraine has to be determined together and only together with Ukraine is a question of the principle,” said Selenskyj later in his evening video address. The French President Emmanuel Macron commented similarly. He wrote on X that the Europeans should also be part of a solution because it was also about their safety. Macron had previously replaced with Selenskyj, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Selenskyj’s role remains uncertain
It is uncertain whether Selenskyj will also receive an invitation to Alaska. When planning for the meeting, he was initially outside. Before the announcement of the summit, it had said from Washington that a two -meetinger should follow a three -day meeting with the Ukrainian president. Trump later did not make this a prerequisite for meeting Putin.
The Russian President described a three-man summit as possible. However, the conditions for this are far from being fulfilled, he explained last. Meanwhile, the Kremlin invited Trump to another meeting in Russia.
What does Putin demand – and what does it offer?
Shortly before the announcement of his meeting with Putin in Alaska, Trump brought the possibility of a “area exchange” between Ukraine and Russia “to the probably both sides”. A little should also be returned, Trump explained. Moscow claims to large parts of Eastern and South Ukraine and calls for Kiev to give up NATO accession.
According to reports from the “Wall Street Journal” and the “New York Times”, Putin is said to have offered an attitude of the fights in Moscow on Wednesday at a meeting with US negotiator Steve Witkoff-on the condition that Russia will receive control over the entire Eastern Ukrainian Donbass region. That would mean the disclosure of several thousand square kilometers and strategically important cities through the Ukrainian army.
According to reports, it remains unclear what the KREML’s concessions would make in return. According to the “New York Times”, European diplomats assume that Putin would agree to a ceasefire in which the current front lines are frozen in the South Ukrainian regions of Cherson and Saporischschja. It is feared, however, that in the end he wants to force a complete assignment of these – and possibly even further – areas.
“Putin wants him to conquer the south of our regions of Cherson and Saporischschja and the entire areas of Luhansk, Donetsk and the Crimea,” said Selenskyj. After the annexation of the Crimea 2014, which was acknowledged by the West with comparatively little resistance – “this second attempt at the division of Ukraine by Russia” will not be allowed. If he succeeds, there will be a third attempt, the president warned. “Therefore we insist on the clear Ukrainian positions.”
Question about security guarantees
In their explanation, the European allies left the point of a perspective NATO accession in Ukraine – as well as the question of whether the United States should be part of future security guarantees. It is unlikely that Trump would assure Ukraine binding protection. It would be conceivable, however, that he uses possible commitments in this direction as a means of pressure – and that he tries to couple a peace solution to economic advantages for the United States.
Trump is under domestic pressure
The planned meeting in Alaska will be the first personal encounter between an incumbent US president and Putin for four years. After the Russian invasion in February 2022, the most important supporter of the Ukrainian defenders became the most important supporter of the Ukrainian defenders under Trump’s democratic predecessor Joe Biden, Biden put Putin International as a war driver.
Trump, who had repeatedly announced in the election campaign to end the Ukraine war “within 24 hours”, got Putin from the diplomatic isolation after the beginning of his second term. In terms of domestic policy, the Republican has awakened high expectations with his promise. Many of his followers – including influential congress members – require a strict “America First” course and largely reject military and financial support from the United States for other countries.
US ultimatum for Russia passed
After taking office in January, Trump mainly put pressure on Ukraine, less on the attacker Russia. During a visit to Selenskyj in the White House, there was an open scandal between the two presidents. The relationship afterwards relaxed again
– Finally, Trump’s patience towards Moscow also seemed to be thinner
become.
A Ultimatum he set to Putin then dissolved into air with the announcement of the meeting in Alaska. Instead, the US President said that Selenskyj was not authorized to make all decisions and had to quickly organize domestic approval. You stand “very close in front of a deal”.
Selenskyj cannot act alone
In fact, hardly anything binding can be decided in Alaska without Ukrainian participation. The US government can neither prescribe a break of fire nor a retreat from its own areas to the Ukrainian army. Territorial questions also require an extensive amendment to the constitution. Neither Selenskyj nor the Ukrainian Parliament – the top rada – can decide on their own.
However, Trump has significant pressure equipment: In addition to arms deliveries, intelligence information from the USA can hardly be replaced for the Ukrainian defenders. In March, Trump had the US military aid temporarily suspended for the country. If this is repeated, the Ukrainians’ military skills would be significantly weakened in one fell swoop.
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Washington/Kyiv/Berlin (dpa-AfX)