Ukrainians fear Trump will shift responsibility for not ending war onto Kiev if talks with Putin fail

According to the Kiev Independent, “Trump said he would not impose any new sanctions on Russia, despite its apparent rejection of a ceasefire that the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe had sought. He also said that the goal of future negotiations would be a full-fledged peace agreement rather than a mere ceasefire, aligning his position with Moscow’s demands.”

Now, Ukraine will be under pressure to enter into a peace agreement, not from a position of force, even not from a position of a calm ceasefire, but in a retreating defense position where at any moment soon the front and the Ukrainian army will collapse.

Trump knows that a ceasefire will not be accepted by Russia. Why should Russia accept it? Any ceasefire will give Ukraine time to rearm, to reposition its army, to get back some strength which will cost Russian lives.

To renounce to a ceasefire is to press for a rapid peace: Ukraine may chose to collapse or to sign a peace deal. Evidently, Selensky is now ready to sign – but still he tries to discuss conditions which are out of reach for him. Same for the Europeans: If they insist on certain peace conditions, they might go for it without further US involvement – which is seemingly not so much to their taste.

As consequence, the peace deal is to be considered done in the form and content as discussed between Trump and Putin.

But the blame game already started. Indeed, Selensky is afraid to be blamed for not having made peace as much as he is afraid of being accused to surrender. As well, the Europeans do not like their role of peace obstructors and, after they have pushed for war for so long, they might not easily explain to their voters why they supported the war for so long and now give it up so rapidly.

And so they all come with Selensky to meet Donald Trump tomorrow, not really to oppose a peace deal which Selensky will have to accept, but to loudly surround the peace talks and to manifest their innocence in not winning the war against nuclear Russia.