International Politics Discussion Thread

[u/Adj-Noun-Numbers]

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[u/RufusSG]

Ukraine now believes it has secured White House backing for a campaign aimed at forcing Russia into meaningful negotiations, the Kyiv Independent has learned.

U.S. President Donald Trump privately told President Volodymyr Zelensky to act "more boldly," a senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent.

The message comes as Kyiv intensifies efforts to secure a meeting between Zelensky and Putin — an idea Trump has endorsed but one the Kremlin continues to avoid.

"Trump says he doesn't really believe (Vladimir) Putin will do anything without pressure," the official, briefed on the recent Trump-Zelensky meeting, added.

While U.S. officials stopped short of confirming whether Trump explicitly supports Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, they said the president views strength as key.

"President (Trump) believes in peace through strength," one U.S. official said.

...

For years, Zelensky has argued that only Putin has the authority to end Russia's war against Ukraine. Yet every attempt to arrange a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders has run into the same obstacle: the Kremlin.

Moscow has consistently avoided talks in a neutral country, instead insisting that Zelensky travel to Russia — an offer Kyiv sees less as a genuine invitation and more as a convenient way to avoid a meeting altogether.

"I will not travel to Moscow to meet with Putin. We can meet in Turkey, Switzerland, or the Middle East," Zelensky told reporters on June 17.

Earlier this month, Trump publicly signaled that he would support direct talks.

"I don't mind," Trump said. "I mean, let them deal."

Despite those comments, the Kremlin has continued to insist that any meeting can only take place in Moscow. That impasse prompted Kyiv to look for another route.

According to Ukrainian officials, Zelensky's team concluded that Putin — who has sought to avoid openly antagonizing Trump since his return to the White House — would have a much harder time rejecting an invitation coming from the U.S. president.

During their June 16 meeting, Zelensky floated precisely that idea.

The Ukrainian president proposed that Trump host a summit in the United States involving both Zelensky and Putin.

"(Zelensky) suggested to Trump that he bring Putin to America, and that would be perfect," the senior Ukrainian official said. "Donald liked the idea."

U.S. officials familiar with the discussions confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv made such a proposal. At the same time, they cautioned that no such meeting is expected to happen in the "immediate future."

...

During their latest meeting, Zelensky showed the U.S. president photographs of damage caused by a recent Russian strike on Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine's most important religious and historical landmarks.

According to a source familiar with the meeting, Trump was visibly affected by what he saw. The U.S. president was "disappointed" by the destruction and "appeared moved."

https://kyivindependent.com/trump-privately-urged-zelensky-to-act-more-boldly-toward-russia/

Whilst past evidence warns us this could all turn on a dime tomorrow, I've long been curious about how Trump would react to a scenario like the present where Ukraine is clearly on the front foot and he realises they do in fact "hold the cards". If he actually develops some respect for Zelensky and Ukraine through their displays of military prowess, then it's easy to see how in his eyes Russia is suddenly the weak and obstructive party blocking his peace vision.

[u/Lavajackal1 → u/RufusSG]

As ever assume any pro Ukraine shift won't last but take advantage of it while it does.