Negotiations go around and around
A U.S.-imposed deadline for a peace deal in Ukraine is days away, but despite ongoing talks, key issues remain far from resolved — including whether Ukraine will cede territory to Russia.
While the pressure has stepped up, prompting a flurry of negotiations, we shouldn’t assume that means a peace deal is imminent.
I spoke with Keir Giles, an expert on Russia at Chatham House, a London-based research institute. He said Ukraine and its allies have been through this cycle a few times before.
“The Russian side presents the terms of surrender. The United States forces it, or attempts to force it, on Ukraine. Then there is a diplomatic scramble, where Europe tries to intervene,” he said.
Trump originally said Ukraine had to agree to the deal by Thursday, but like other deadlines he’s issued, this one seems flexible. Officials have said it is not set in stone.
Giles said while it may give Ukraine a temporary reprieve, the underlying problem remains.
“For all of the flip-flopping on rhetoric, the direction of travel of the U.S. policy has been absolutely consistent … reducing support for Ukraine and reducing support for European security as a whole,” he said.
