Donald Trump opens the door to the highest aspirations of Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin’s initial plan to seize Ukraine within a few days ended in a disaster. But after Donald Trump has held direct peace talks with Moscow, bypassing Kiev and the Europeans, the Russian president is now closer to obtaining what he wanted from his invasion for three years.

Putin’s main ambition said that the people who spoke to him during the war is to create a new security structure that gives Russia a room for influence in Europe – as did the Yalta Conference of the Soviet Union at the end of World War II.

Now, the United States may be open to allow it to obtain it. Defense Minister Beit Higseth Refuse the aspirations of Ukraine To join NATO and restore its lands from Russia. Putin and Trump discussed “bilateral economic cooperation”, indicating that the United States was ready to decline its sanctions against Moscow.

Trump appears to be intended to retract the United States’ commitment to NATO and leave it to European countries to maintain peace.

“The situation seems to be more suitable for Putin than any time during the entire war over the past three years,” said Alexander Gabiviev, director of the Carnegie Russia Center in Berlin. “If the United States ends its military and diplomatic support, in addition to the participation of intelligence, Ukraine will be in a very difficult situation. It will be difficult to get out of it even if the Europeans are more involved.”

In Moscow, there was a clear joy after Wednesday An invitation between Trump and Putin.

“One invitation can change the course of history-today, has opened the leaders of the United States and Russia as the door for a future formed through cooperation, not confrontation,” said Kirill Dimitriev, head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund. The back channel talks to the United States about the exchange of prisoners.

The call dramatically for the US policy during the era of Joe Biden, Trump’s predecessor, who pledged to support Ukraine For “as long as it takes it” while working with other western countries to isolate Russia. Now, the United States said that victory over the conditions of Ukraine is not “realistic” – a transformation that Moscow praised the return to the mind.

“Finally, the Americans take things seriously without meaningless delusions who have been futing with the Ukrainians since the beginning of the war. It is a common sense. A former senior Russian official said,” and an opportunity to stop the war. “

The former official added that “Putin gets rid of any delusions after three days,” when Russia realized its plans to achieve Blitzkrieg’s victory. “But the Europeans and Americans have been under them since then, and they only started seeing the meaning now.”

Senior Ukrainian and Western officials said that Trump and Putin will try to secure a ceasefire through one of the upcoming dates: Easter, which will be celebrated by the Orthodox and Catholic churches on April 20 this year; Or May 9, when Russia celebrates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

“Putin will want (a deal) on a prominent day like this,” said an Ukrainian official.

In Moscow, the market’s reaction was to be blissful. The ruble strengthened 5 percent against the dollar and the main exchange index in Moscow increased by 2.8 percent to its highest level in nine months.

The pro -war militants praised the call as a sign that Russia’s victory was within reach.

“It should really harm the European Union and Ukraine to hear this. Constantine Malovev, a conservative pole that runs many Russian volunteers who fight in Ukraine, said, but their opinion is no longer important.” “Ukraine is just an excuse for the great dialogue between the two great countries on the beginning of a new era in human history.”

Putin told Trump that he wanted to “settle the causes of conflict”, which indicates this Russia Its goal of stopping Ukraine’s ambitions to join the West and the post -Cold War wish to decline.

Moscow also calls for Ukraine to control four southeast parts partly occupied, not fully controlled by Russia, and expects the West to end all sanctions on the war.

“Russia bears the upper hand on the battlefield, Putin can choose to continue the war if Trump does not agree to all his demands.”

Russia is serious about the need to resolve the Ukraine issue. He does not sue peace. “She knows that the only guarantees that she can rely on are the ones that she can provide,” Trinin said. “The deal less than the vital security requirements of Russia will only ensure that there will be another war soon. Russia will not allow it.”

He added: “The fighting will not stop at the beginning of the talks; if there is no deal, it will continue.”

It is worth noting that the delegation appointed by Trump to negotiate with Russia does not include his own envoy on the conflict, Keith Keel, who was more explicit US official to increase sanctions pressure on Moscow and maintain weapons supplies to Ukraine.

“The administration will not take Ukraine’s basic concerns seriously,” said a former US official. “Putin had seen that he was supporting his vision of the world and a step towards achieving his dream of deep friction between the United States and Europe.”

Trump’s campaign to end the war quickly has Ukraine. Kiev was hoping that he could persuade Trump to provide a joint position in bringing Russia to the table, and offered to reach its reserves Rare Earth metals In exchange for support to us.

Andrei Yermak, Chief of Staff of Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelinski, told the Financial Times that “the challenge” is in the Biden administration.

Currently, Kyiv and its European allies, from abroad, are looking from abroad, for fear that the United States will face an unfavorable deal to end the war with Putin – and stick them to the bill.

Trump proves that he is bad as we were afraid. “He is ready to conclude a deal with Putin at the expense of Ukraine, and he still wants to pay him Ukraine in metal resources,” said Volodimir Colic, a professor of political science at Kiev Economics College. “The question is, what will Ukraine and Europe do.”

Participated in additional reports from Paulina Ivanova in Berlin and Daria Musolova, London