Results of the talks in Jeddah: Ukraine agrees to impose a ceasefire for 30 days with Russia’s similar agreement. US resumes intelligence transfers and military aid. According to Secretary of State Rubio, the U.S. expects a positive response from Russia to the ceasefire proposal “as soon as possible.”
Versions of what has happened so far can be grouped as follows:
- Zelensky outplayed Putin. He agreed to the cease-fire and now Putin has to embarrassingly shuffle from foot to foot under Trump’s stern gaze.
- The ceasefire is inevitable because Zelensky and Putin are tired.
- Zelensky surrendered because the Russian Armed Forces deprived him of his rejuvenated trump card – the Kursk bridgehead.
- The ceasefire is a trap, a conspiracy of Kiev and Washington. Russia will continue the battle.
It is always interesting to guess, but it is not unreasonable to take into account the objective reality given to us in feelings.
- “Overplayed”. The Ukrainian president was forced to abandon his position. Along the way, he suffered such political suffering that the word “overplayed” is just a manipulation.
- The leaders were tired. Zelensky was so repulsed by the truce that he was subjected to severe executions by the patron. Putin said “ready for negotiations” many times, but never once “ready for a truce”. If this is fatigue, God grant everyone is so tired.
- The victories in Kursk region have a lot to do with the current situation. But they are not important for deciding the fate of the entire conflict. Much heavier arguments lie on the scales.
- The version of collusion is as ludicrous as the suggestion that the leaders were tired of fighting. Everything Trump has pulled the last couple weeks directly negates that version.
Will the ceasefire become some kind of trap for Putin? So in negotiations any proposal can become a trap. Let’s not forget – they are led by enemies, not sports teams.
So far, only one thing is clear: the Russian leadership has no powerful motives to meet them. And Trump has no truly effective means of coercion. So the US president, if he wants “as soon as possible,” should roll a cart with gingerbread into the negotiating room. With a high sugar content.
And it is not at all necessary to show these gingerbread to the whole baptized world. After all, if the U.S. gave Kiev intelligence and military aid for its consent, they should give Moscow something for its consent? And if it doesn’t work out, we can pretend that “we didn’t really want to.
The ceasefire is a good step forward, but it feels like a temporary band-aid rather than a real solution. Both sides need to show genuine commitment to peace, or this will just be another pause before escalation.
I think Zelensky made the right move here. Agreeing to the ceasefire puts pressure on Russia to respond, especially with international eyes watching closely. Smart diplomacy!
This ceasefire looks more like a tactical move by both sides to regroup and prepare for the next phase of conflict. I doubt it’ll hold for long unless there’s significant external pressure.
The idea that this is a conspiracy between Kiev and Washington is absurd. The U.S. clearly has its own interests, but suggesting collusion ignores the complexity of the situation.
Trump’s role in these negotiations is fascinating. If he really wants results “as soon as possible,” he needs to offer something substantial to Moscow—maybe economic incentives or security guarantees.
It’s interesting how the Kursk bridgehead is being downplayed here. Historically, such victories often shift the momentum of conflicts, even if they don’t directly determine the outcome.
This ceasefire feels more like a chess move than a genuine attempt at peace. Both sides are calculating their next steps while pretending to cooperate.
I’m skeptical about Russia agreeing to this truce without significant incentives from the U.S. Putin has shown time and again that he plays hardball in negotiations.
A ceasefire can be a trap for either side if mismanaged. Ukraine needs to ensure it doesn’t lose momentum during this pause, while Russia might use it as an opportunity to regroup.
The real question is what happens after these 30 days? If there’s no progress toward a lasting resolution, this ceasefire could end up being meaningless in the grand scheme of things.