Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are currently in Europe for negotiations over a possible peace deal in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is present, but no one from Russia is to be found.
Russia has indicated that the terms proposed by President Trump — rejected without directly saying so by both Ukraine and European leaders — is a decent starting point. Clearly, Russia wants more. As Putin stated at the beginning and continues to repeat, Ukraine in his eyes is forever a part of Russia and must be retaken from interlopers.
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Two parts of the Trump proposal have leaders across the Pond worried. One is the limp — if not downright dishonest — security guarantee contained therein, and the other is the provision that Ukraine give up the whole Donbas region in the east of the country to Russia. Russian troops haven’t even occupied the entire Donbas.
On X, Zelenskyy said the U.S. has yet to respond to the peace terms it submitted last week. Further, Zelenskyy said he feels that he doesn’t even have the authority to cede territory. He thinks it might require a referendum — a vote by the people. Most Ukrainians interviewed on TV have indicated opposition to giving up territory.
My question about a referendum: Does this include people living in the occupied regions of Donbas and elsewhere? That would be an interesting feat to pull off. Russian forces would no doubt block any vote, or would stuff the ballot boxes, or even conduct the vote at gunpoint.
Even if peace is achieved, it would no doubt be temporary, with Putin set to pounce at the first opportunity to take the rest of the country. Why he hasn’t had agents infiltrate and assassinate all Ukraine’s leaders is beyond me. That could be an option once a ceasefire is in effect.
Anyway, Trump keeps eyeing that Nobel Peace Prize that never goes to him, no matter what “peaceful” achievement he touts. I’m afraid even if there is a peace deal in Ukraine, Trump won’t win the award.
Earlier, I suggested Zelenskyy might get the award. Now, I think it might go to the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” — those European states supporting Ukraine in the war and now working to forge an acceptable deal. Worse, French President Emmanuel Macron, the putative head of the coalition, might be honored. Wow, would that set Trump off!
