I have been writing about Ukraine since 2014 (See: https://shulmaven.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-ukraine-what-is-to-be-done.html ) and as recently as last March. (See: https://shulmaven.blogspot.com/2025/03/shame.html ) Yesterday’s White House summit meeting with European leaders and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky reversed the very negative vibes set off by Friday’s Trump-Putin Alaska summit where it was feared that Trump was about to sell out Ukraine. The conversations were both serious and friendly and it seems that there was a real reproachment between Trump and Zelensky.
However, the hard
part is now ahead of us. It remains to be seen whether or not Putin will
actually meet with Zelensky. Today Switzerland offered up its good offices as a
meeting site. Should that happen, it would open the way for a trilateral summit
with Trump, Putin, and Zelensky.
What has to be ironed
out is the precise border between Ukraine and the Russian held provinces. That
border would have to be defensible, which means that the current Ukrainian
position in the Donetsk region would have to be maintained, something that
Russia is opposed to. Another question is what
the European security guarantee would cover. For example, would it include troops on ground,
air support and rebuilding assistance? Perhaps more important what would be the
modalities of the United States’ role as security coordinator. Would it include
intelligence sharing, military hardware, and air support? Although Trump has
ruled out combat troops, would it allow for support troops involved in training.
And don’t forget Putin has a vote in all of this.
Nevertheless, for the
first time since the war started over three years ago there is a pathway to a
settlement. It certainly won’t be perfect because Putin’s aggression would be
rewarded, but it will enable Ukraine to be a viable and prosperous state. Remember,
diplomacy is the art of the possible.
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