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Trump Blames Zelensky as Ukraine Peace Talks Stumble
After Ukraine’s president criticizes Trump’s proposed peace plan, U.S. officials again threaten to walk away from negotiations
“…A meeting Wednesday in London that was billed as a make-or-break moment for talks fizzled after Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoffabruptly canceled plans to attend. That followed Zelensky’s pushback against a U.S. proposal for a peace deal—that Washington legally recognize Russian sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia has occupied since 2014.
… Ukrainian officials said they are worried that Trump, who has said he doesn’t like Zelensky, might blame Kyiv for a breakdown in talks and refuse to provide further military aid. They have reminded their U.S. counterparts that Ukraine agreed to stop fighting for 30 days while Russia hadn’t.
… The realization that all sides remain far apart on key issues stands in contrast to Trump’s claim that he could broker a pact within 24 hours. He has vented to aides that the negotiations were harder to conclude than he hoped, U.S. officials said, directing most of his anger at Zelensky for not readily agreeing to the most recent U.S. proposal
… Most analysts contend that the current terms are a far better deal for Russia than Ukraine. “Without any real pressure, the Russians are not budging and playing for time, and they are getting what they want: a U.S. that is so frustrated with the negotiations that they seem to just want Ukraine to say yes to accepting Russia’s maximalist demands,” said Alina Polyakova, president and chief executive of the Center for European Policy Analysis, a Washington think tank. “If the U.S. gives up and moves on, the Russians would consider this a win.”
… French officials are working on a plan to create a coalition force that could be placed inside Ukraine after a cease-fire is in place to further deter Russia from reinvading. However, they will only put boots on the ground if the U.S. pledges to offer logistical and air support if Russia were to restart the war. So far, the U.S. hasn’t offered such help. Trump has argued that a minerals deal would put U.S. investment inside Ukraine and act as a de facto security guarantee. “
