Trump-Putin phone call: what's the upshot?
After a two-hour phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump announced that peace talks aimed at ending Russia's war against Ukraine could begin immediately. Putin explained that Moscow wanted to end the hostilities, but that it was still necessary to determine the most effective ways to move towards peace. Europe's press greets the news with a large dose of scepticism.
More uncertainty than clarity
La Repubblica has its doubts:
“The threats of further sanctions or tougher measures against Russia seem to have been forgotten. ... Trump has once again conveyed the impression that he sides with Putin. The next few hours will reveal whether this is yet another unfounded demonstration of trust in Vladimir, who is sticking to his maximalist demands, or whether the two-hour phone call reveals a genuine intention on the part of the Kremlin boss to negotiate honestly for a fair and thus potentially lasting solution.”
A game between Washington and Moscow
News website Capital takes a closer look:
“The first conclusion when comparing positions is that Trump is sticking to a more optimistic tone which, however, the more cautious Putin is not rejecting. The second is that no third party can intervene in the Russian-American talks: it seems that nothing can shake the relationship between the two. ... And the European leaders who attempted to issue an ultimatum to the Russian side in order to secure an immediate ceasefire are simply being informed by Trump after the fact of what he has 'agreed' on.”
Delaying tactics to avoid sanctions
In a Telegram post picked up by Echo, journalist Dmitry Kolesev suspects Putin's reaction is just another ruse:
“According to Putin, Russia is prepared to 'work with Ukraine to craft a memorandum' on a possible future peace agreement in the framework of which a ceasefire could also be agreed. Putin was then told: well let's have a 30-day ceasefire. ... And he replied: we can go on fighting for another 20 years, but let's start discussing what a peace treaty might look like one day. That sounds like the next trick aimed at continuing the war under the guise of a 'peace process' without giving Trump a reason to impose stricter sanctions or increase military aid to Ukraine.”
A fragile partnership
The supposedly good relationship between Moscow and Washington is in fact very precarious, Delfi columnist Audris Narbutas surmises:
“Trump wants to beat China - and he needs allies to do this. This is one of the reasons why he is focusing on good relations with Russia. Russia's dependence on China has increased significantly in recent years. A tactical rapprochement with the US could help Trump in negotiations with Beijing. ... Putin will try to present himself as a bridge between the US and China - but this is unlikely to last. For us, this is to some extent good news. There is hope that we will see the kind of Trump we would like to see for Ukraine - and for ourselves.”