Trump-Putin conversation could be decisive in Russia’s war against Ukraine - CNN
Ukraine is most afraid that Trump and Putin will develop their own peace plan, which they will try to impose on Kyiv.
This is stated in a CNN article, Censor.NET reports.
According to the author, the most important struggle is not taking place in the sky over Ukraine or on the front line.
The decisive struggle waged by the parties and their allies is the struggle for the attention of Trump, who seems to be increasingly frustrated with attempts to achieve peace.
"And that’s why his phone call, expected to take place with Russian President Vladimir Putin later today, may be of such pivotal importance. Moscow and Kyiv are both vying to demonstrate it is the other who is the real obstacle to peace, hoping to swing Trump’s changeable opinion, at least for a while, their way," the article states.
European officials have also announced plans to contact the US president before his phone call with Putin, as they fear that the US leader's point of view may be shaped by whoever he hears last.
Putin, who has rejected a 30-day ceasefire, will have Trump's attention during the conversation. He will be able to include any suggestions, flattery or poison in the conversation - whatever the Kremlin thinks will work best.
"Trump and Putin already seem to share an unshakeable conviction that it is them alone who have the personal authority and skills to settle the Ukraine war, while the Europeans and the Ukrainians themselves will ultimately do as they are told," the author stated.
CNN writes that Ukraine's biggest fear is that Trump and Putin will work out their own peace plan over the phone and then try to impose the Kremlin's terms under new threats to cut off US military and economic aid.
However, the journalist notes that Trump has leverage to put pressure on Russia, so it will seek to avoid the US doubling its support for Ukraine.
At the moment, none of the warring parties is ready to compromise. Even under pressure from the US, even after a direct phone call with President Trump, both Moscow and Kyiv may still decide to continue the fight, the author concludes.
As a reminder, on Saturday, 17 May, US President Donald Trump announced that on Monday, 19 May, he would hold phone conversations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
