Published 17/03/2025 14:56 | Edited 17/03/2025 16:09
US President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that he will discuss Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (18) the “division of certain assets” in Ukraine, including busy territories and energy centers. The 30-day ceasefire proposal, mediated by Washington and accepted by Ukraine last week, faces Russian resistance. Kremlin requires Kiev to renounce five attached regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporíjia and Crimea), abandon NATO candidacy and replace your government.
Trump stated that “a lot of work was done over the weekend” and expressed optimism: “We have a good chance to end this war.” However, sources close to negotiations reveal that the US presses for an agreement that includes the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Kursk, a Russian region partially occupied by Kiev since August 2023.
Moscow conditions: ceasefire or time gain strategy?
Putin claimed to support “in principle” to the truce, but raised three obstacles:
- Kursk Ukrainian withdrawal: “Will everyone leave without fighting, or will surrender?”
- Risco of Ukrainian Rearms“How to ensure that Ukraine won’t use 30 days to mobilize troops?”
- SUPERVISION OF THE AGREEMENT: “Who will monitor 2,000 km from the front?”
Analysts see in the demands an attempt to consolidate advantages. Russia wants time to resume Kursk and weaken the Ukrainian position in negotiations. Meanwhile, Ukraine faces scarcity of soldiers and territorial losses in the east, where Russian troops slowly advance.
Western pressure and Kiev’s distrust
The EU and the United Kingdom expand the pressure on Moscow. In a virtual summit on Saturday, 30 Kiev’s allied countries decided to “collective sanctions” if Russia rejects the truce. EU chancellor Kaja Kallas accused, “Putin’s conditions show that he doesn’t want peace.”
Volodymyr Zelensky, who replaced the Ukrainian Chief of Staff this Sunday, criticizes the Russian posture: “Putinity about the complexity of ceasefire. Everything can be controlled.” He also denounced Trump’s “disappointment” by linking the agreement to the delivery of territories, reinforcing that “sanctions must be intensified.”
Trump’s risk game: between mediation and threats
Trump’s strategy oscillates between dialogue and ultimatum. While the Steve Witkoff envoy negotiates in Moscow, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned: “The US will impose new sanctions if Russia does not cooperate.” Since 2022, Washington has led more than 21,000 penalties against Russian entities, affecting sectors such as energy and defense.
However, there is skepticism about concessions. Trump has a history of giving in to Putin. If the US supports Russian demands, Ukraine will be cornered. The tension became clear last week when the US briefly suspended military aid to Kiev after a disagreement between Trump and Zelensky.
What to expect after Tuesday’s call?
Experts point to three scenarios:
- Symbolic agreement: A short truce, without commitment to borders, only for humanitarian relief.
- Founting Stabilization: Freezing of combat lines, favoring Russia.
- Collapse of negotiations: Resumption of large -scale attacks with US intensifying sanctions.
While Putin avoids “advanced details”, Zelensky mobilizes troops and allies. For the world, Tuesday’s call will not only define the future of Ukraine, but will test the limits of diplomacy in a conflict that has already moved 12 million and killed more than 500,000.
Source: vermelho.org.br
