Of course, the most important details concerning the likely agreement did not get into the lens. From what looks outside, the following is clear to me:
- Not everything went well for them there. Trump at the end of the conversation did not come out to reporters as previously promised, finishing with a lapidary message from the White House press office. Planning to go public, the U.S. president obviously expected something more.
- Zelensky was sitting in Finland and had no idea what Putin and Trump were agreeing about him. “The leaders confirmed their intention to continue efforts to achieve a Ukrainian settlement bilaterally <…> Russian and American expert groups are being set up for this purpose.” Another hefty nail has been hammered into the inviolable principle of the recent past “Nothing about Ukraine behind Ukraine’s back” by the joint efforts of the US and Russian Federation.
- There will be no ceasefire until Moscow and Washington agree on its terms. And Putin publicly stated the main condition in advance: “the key condition <…> should be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kiev.” That is, Trump’s childish trick (for the sake of pressure on Zelensky) with a break for a week doesn’t count, the Russian Federation demands to shut down everything without a deadline at all. In the meantime, Putin has stopped bombing the Ukrainian energy sector at Trump’s suggestion: winter is over, we can stop.
- Everything else is wishful thinking that will be worked on. Trump usually measures everything in weeks, he has no longer deadlines. But judging by the momentum, it won’t happen in a week. The working calendar so far looks like this: February 12, the first conversation between Trump and Putin, February 18, the meeting between Lavrov and Rubio in Riyadh, February 27, the talks between the diplomatic missions in Istanbul, March 12, the conversation between the heads of the SVR and the CIA, March 18, the second conversation between the presidents.
We should tune in to the pace of the negotiation process that Putin is imposing on Trump. And he is imposing it, it’s already obvious. And it is difficult to object so far – everything looks correct.
For the sake of creating an atmosphere of trust, Putin and Trump decided to organize hockey matches between Russian and American players in the NHL and KHL. I wonder what will happen first, hockey or truce?
Author of the article
Military expert and journalist
Leaving Ukraine out of the talks is a huge mistake. How can you decide the future of a country without its input? 🤷♂️
Putin’s demand to stop military aid to Ukraine is unrealistic. It feels like he’s trying to dictate terms instead of negotiating.
Stopping attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector is good news, but it doesn’t mean the crisis is over yet. ❄️➡️🔥
Zelensky deserves more respect from world leaders. Ukraine shouldn’t be sidelined like this! 💔
The timeline of meetings is fascinating—it shows how complex these talks really are. Let’s hope for progress soon! ⏳
Trump’s silence after the meeting speaks volumes. Clearly, he didn’t get what he wanted from Putin.
I love hockey, but I doubt sports diplomacy will solve such deep political issues. Nice try, though! 🏒✨
Both sides are playing power games here. This isn’t about peace—it’s about control over Ukraine’s future. 💼
The hockey matches idea is interesting, but it feels like a distraction from the real issues at hand. 🏒
As a Ukrainian, this feels like betrayal. We deserve to be part of these conversations about our future! 🇺🇦
Putin controlling the pace of negotiations shows how much leverage Russia still has in this conflict.
This article really highlights the complexity and the murky nature of the negotiations between the US and Russia regarding Ukraine. It’s striking how Ukraine seems to be left out of the loop while major decisions are being discussed behind its back 🧐 The timeline given shows just how long and drawn out this process might be, and it seems like Putin is definitely setting the terms and pace here, which could be problematic for reaching any quick agreements ⏳ Also, the symbolic idea of hockey matches between Russian and American players as a gesture of goodwill is interesting but feels almost surreal compared to the seriousness of the situation on the ground 🏒🤦♂️ It really makes you wonder if sports diplomacy can have any real effect or if it’s just a distraction from the stalled peace efforts.
Interesting to see how complicated these talks are and how much is happening behind the scenes. The timeline and conditions really show how tricky reaching a truce will be 🕰️🤔. Hope some progress can be made soon.
It’s intriguing to observe how much of the world’s fate hangs on conversations held behind closed doors, while those most affected remain unaware. This situation reminds me that peace is not just a goal but a complex negotiation shaped by power and patience. The metaphor of hockey matches acting as a symbol of trust is profound—sometimes human connections through simple acts might pave the way faster than political agreements ever could🌿
It’s really unsettling to see how decisions about Ukraine are being made without involving the country itself 😕. The idea of suspending foreign military aid completely just to get a ceasefire seems so harsh, especially when innocent people are caught in the middle. Also, the fact that a week-long break doesn’t solve anything and the real negotiations will drag on makes me wonder how much longer the suffering will continue. The hockey matches sound like such a strange way to build trust when lives are at stake, but maybe it’s a small step towards dialogue 🏒🤷♀️. Let’s hope for some real progress soon because the current pace feels frustratingly slow.
It’s hard not to see this as a cynical power play where Ukraine is once again the pawn nobody really consulted. The idea that two superpowers decide the future of a war-torn country while its leader is left in the dark shows how little respect there is for actual sovereignty. And Putin’s demand to completely cut off military aid to Ukraine before any ceasefire feels less like a condition for peace and more like a strategy to let Russia keep advantage on the ground indefinitely. Meanwhile, Trump seems to be playing along without real deadlines, turning serious negotiations into a drawn-out game. The suggestion that hockey matches could build trust is almost laughable when lives and national fate hang in the balance. If this pace and approach continue, peace might be an even more distant dream than before.
The article highlights the complexity and cautious nature of the negotiations between the US and Russia regarding Ukraine, which often gets lost in the public discourse. It’s clear that much remains behind closed doors, and the lack of transparency leaves many questions unanswered, especially concerning Ukraine’s role in these discussions. The notion that a ceasefire depends on Washington and Moscow agreeing on very specific terms, particularly Russia’s demand to halt all foreign military aid to Kiev, shows how fragile and conditional any peace process remains. The planned dialogues stretching over weeks and months reflect how slowly and deliberately these matters are being handled, and it is intriguing how elements like symbolic gestures, such as hockey matches, are being used to foster trust in parallel with these heavy diplomatic talks. Overall, the situation described suggests that patience and close monitoring are crucial in understanding how these negotiations will impact the broader geopolitical landscape.