In a renewed push for peace, former President Donald Trump is concentrating his efforts on halting the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He refers to the hostilities there as a “death march” and emphasizes the urgency of bringing it to an end. However, discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin suggest that Russia’s interests extend beyond a simple cease-fire. As negotiations between Russian and American officials took place in Saudi Arabia, the focus was on technical details of a partial truce to prevent attacks on energy sectors and maritime routes in the Black Sea. Meanwhile, Ukraine has expressed readiness for a comprehensive truce, yet Putin appears to have a broader agenda requiring several concessions before fully committing.
The Russian strategy seems to leverage Trump’s eagerness for a peace deal in Ukraine as a bargaining tool to achieve greater strategic advantages. From Moscow’s perspective, improving relations with Washington could yield significant economic and geopolitical benefits, even as Russian military actions persist. Insights from recent discussions with high-level Russian foreign-policy experts at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi reveal that while Putin is pursuing a decisive outcome in Ukraine, engaging in cease-fire conversations with Trump is seen as a move to potentially refresh ties with the U.S.
Vyacheslav Nikonov, a senior member of Russia’s foreign affairs committee, highlighted that Trump and Putin are developing a “bilateral agenda” unrelated to Ukraine. He commented during the Raisina Dialogue that while Ukraine is facing continued military pressure, Putin prioritizes enhancing relations with the United States. The possibility of securing economic concessions—including vital parts for Russia’s Boeing jets—and geopolitical concessions, like reducing NATO’s influence in Europe, drives Moscow’s engagement with Trump. However, whether Trump can turn these engagements into tangible benefits for Ukraine remains uncertain.
Aleksandr Dynkin, an international affairs expert linked to the Russian Foreign Ministry, noted that Trump’s penchant for swift agreements could influence the negotiations’ trajectory. Prospects of disappointment loom if progress stalls, pushing Putin to devise strategies to sustain Trump’s involvement. In a gesture to maintain positive relations, Putin gifted a “beautiful portrait of President Trump” to White House envoy Steve Witkoff during a Moscow meeting, a move Witkoff described as “gracious.”
Putin is resolute in his conditions for a cease-fire, which includes assurances that Ukraine will not join NATO, a rollback of Western alliances in Central and Eastern Europe, limitations on Ukraine’s military capabilities, and influence over Ukraine’s political landscape. Feodor Voitolovsky, director at the Moscow Institute of World Economy and International Relations, asserted that Russia seeks a roadmap towards a broader agreement before accepting any cease-fire. A United Nations peacekeeping initiative excluding NATO troops may be negotiable, reflecting Russia’s preference for long-term strategic gains.
Simultaneously, Russia seeks economic opportunities from a potential thaw with the U.S. Voitolovsky suggested that Trump, with his business acumen, might recognize undervalued Russian assets as a ground for negotiation, potentially leading to a lifted classification of the U.S. as an “unfriendly country” and easing business operations for American companies in Russia. Discussions in the aviation sector, particularly concerning aircraft maintenance, were also highlighted. Anastasia Likhacheva from the Higher School of Economics in Moscow acknowledged that while comprehensive sanctions relief might be unlikely under Trump, a gradual easing of sanctions enforcement could symbolically normalize Russia’s international partnerships, broadening its global operational opportunities.
Original Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/world/europe/trump-russia-putin-ukraine.html
Category : International Relations,Russian Invasion of Ukraine (2022),United States International Relations,Embargoes and Sanctions,Putin, Vladimir V,Trump, Donald J,Witkoff, Steven,Russia
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Publish Date: 2025-03-25 07:11:00
