Trump administration gradually changes position on war in Ukraine, understanding that main obstacle to peace is Putin, not Zelenskyy - FT
The Donald Trump Administration is increasingly changing its position on the war in Ukraine. Trump himself is losing patience and realizes that it is Russian dictator Vladimir Putin who is the obstacle to peace.
This is reported by the Financial Times, Censor.NET informs with reference to Unian.
As noted, American officials seem increasingly impatient with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin as suspicions grow that he, not Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, may be the biggest obstacle to peace.
"The Americans had a simplistic idea - let's charm Russia, put pressure on Zelensky, and we'll get a deal. It turned out that just charming Russia is not enough," says Wolfgang Ischinger, former German ambassador to the United States.
Trump's most desired goal - a ceasefire that could lead to peace talks and an end to the war - is still out of reach, as Putin has rejected any calls for a halt to hostilities, even despite tough sanctions. Russia's apparent intransigence irritates Trump, observers say.
"There is a sense of frustration in [his] communication. Perhaps he realizes that he gave up too much and got nothing in return," said former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul.
It is also becoming increasingly difficult for the Trump administration to blame Ukrainians for the ongoing fighting. In recent weeks, Zelenskyy has gone out of his way to present himself as a cooperative partner. Relations between Kyiv and Washington have also recovered from the Oval Office spat, thanks in part to the signing of the minerals deal.
But it remains unclear whether Trump has really switched his sympathies to Ukraine or is simply ready to punish Russia for its recalcitrance, the FT notes.
"Trump certainly sees that Putin is not meeting him halfway. But I'm not sure that this will result in any meaningful pressure on Putin," said Eric Green, a former assistant to President Joe Biden at the National Security Council.
At the same time, experts say that Russia is betting that the US president will lose patience with the peace process.
"Putin is playing a long game and thinks that time is on his side. He expects Trump to lose interest and the Americans to cut off military aid, which will weaken the Ukrainian army," McFaul said.
Other experts believe that the risk of the US president abandoning Ukraine has decreased in recent weeks.
Thomas Graham, a research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said that it would be difficult for Trump to achieve one of his main goals - resetting relations with Russia - without first resolving the Ukraine issue.
"There's too much at stake," he said.
"Yes, he can still leave Ukraine, but if he does, it will look too much like a failure."
