Putin wants Eastern Ukraine, Trump wants his Nobel Prize and Zelensky wants none of that shit

The Greek Courier

By Yiannis Damellos

Donald Trump is delusional if he truly believes he can get a good deal from Putin on the issue of Ukraine. Why? The Russians are masters of diplomacy, negotiation, and deceit; they are, without a doubt, some of the best chess players in the world. And Putin is the most intelligent chess player in Russia. When Russians have the upper hand, they apply immense pressure to achieve their goals. Militarily, they are winning this war. Also, President Trump is vulnerable at home, and Putin is well aware of this. 

Trump, in addition to achieving success in his global tariff initiatives, also seeks a Nobel Peace Prize, perceiving it as a trophy that will legitimize him both domestically and internationally. However, earning such an award requires hard work; simply being President or a "tariff President" does not guarantee international acceptance. Quite the opposite... What the US has as leverage right now is sheer military power. Missiles that can hit deep in Russia. Trump knows it. In fact, he depends on it. But that's risky, for all sides. It's a recipe for disaster. 

Then again...

Don’t be surprised if Trump strikes a lucrative business deal with Putin concerning Ukraine and his billionaire buddies. This aligns with his typical approach to international relations. What potential benefits might this bring to the majority of Americans? How could it MAGA? It's uncertain. However, it would likely benefit a select few and enhance Trump's own reputation. I can’t help but wonder if he recalls the agreement he made with Ukrainian officials for access to their rare minerals in exchange for protection. 

(The US and Ukraine have finalized a minerals deal that grants the US preferential access to Ukrainian minerals in exchange for financial and military assistance to rebuild the country. This agreement, signed in Washington, D.C., establishes a joint investment fund to search for and extract these minerals, including rare earth elements.)

So, this summit is a total clusterfuck that creates volatility in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is highly skeptical of any attempts to force a ceasefire under unfavorable conditions. In a statement on Telegram, he said that the Trump-Putin summit will achieve nothing, and vowed that Ukraine will not give up land. The Ukrainian President  has dismissed the upcoming summit, asserting that any peace deal that excludes Kyiv would result in "dead solutions." He emphasized that Ukraine's territorial integrity, as enshrined in its constitution, must remain non-negotiable. 

The Trump-Putin meeting is scheduled for Alaska on August 15 and is viewed by the White House as a potential breakthrough. A senior White House official noted that the planning for the summit remains fluid, with the possibility of involving Zelenskyy in some capacity. While Trump expressed openness to meeting both his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, he indicated he might initially focus solely on discussions with Putin. He suggested the possibility of a trilateral meeting later on.

In his comments, Trump suggested that any potential agreement could involve "some swapping of territories," although he did not provide specific details. This idea worries Zelenskyy, especially given Trump's decision to host Putin on U.S. soil. This choice goes against the expectation that the meeting would take place in a neutral location, which would have prevented Putin from receiving a level of validation after the U.S. and its allies worked to isolate him following his invasion of Ukraine.

As the war enters its fourth year, the situation remains precarious, with significant casualties on both sides and no guarantee that the summit will lead to a ceasefire, given the stark differences in peace conditions between Moscow and Kyiv.