Kyiv has few options as it tries to convince the US that Vladimir Putin is unreliable, but drawing the ire of President Donald Trump while relying on European allies for support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted Putin’s offer to hold direct talks in Turkey, challenging the Russian leader to a face-to-face, but the Istanbul talks failed to yield substantial results.
The US has expressed frustration with stalled talks and threatened to withdraw if results aren’t achieved. Trump said he may call Putin soon, suggesting a potential meeting could solve the conflict or at least provide clarity. However, analysts say Ukraine’s position is poised to grow weaker unless powerful sanctions are imposed against Moscow and the US continues arms deliveries.
Ukraine hopes for sanctions, while Russia stalls, with Kyiv agreeing to accept demands that would require territorial concessions, neutralizing its army and vowing never to join NATO. Despite verbal threats from Europe and the US, sanctions of the kind that could devastate Russia’s energy sector have not been forthcoming.
Analysts say Russia is at a crucial crossroads in the war, where it can negotiate a truce and consolidate gains or launch a summer military campaign to maximize wins before the onset of winter. Ukraine has always been at a disadvantage and faces manpower and ammunition shortages, with estimates suggesting it can hang on for six months to two years.
The situation is becoming increasingly tense, with Ukrainian soldiers describing the grinding war as a “circus” and analysts warning that much will depend on what kind of support Ukraine receives from partners and how quickly the country can scale up domestic weapons production.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-zelenskyy-putin-trump-turkey-talks-457f6df4c614efa7dceae0eec028dd28