Counting on Trump to see reason is futile – Ukrainian diplomat Shamshur

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"So far, I have not noticed any radical changes either in the American position or in the Russian one. I believe that counting on Trump to see reason is completely futile. He proceeds from the idea that this war must end under any circumstances, meaning that our national interests are of no concern to him whatsoever. At the same time, Trump would not want this issue to interfere with his greater efforts — his illusory plan to reshape relations with Russia. I am convinced he will do everything possible so that even the lack of noticeable progress toward an agreement to end the war will not hinder his negotiations with the Russians, which are being conducted by Witkoff and Dmitriev regarding broader agreements," the diplomat commented.

According to him, Trump’s approach to international relations and global politics is very similar to Putin’s — one set of rules for the powerful, and another for the weaker.

"Everything we have heard from Trump shows that he has not changed his approach to these issues. Of course, this affects his plans for peace in Ukraine, which, in my opinion, continue to include absolutely unacceptable elements for us. It is possible that there is already some agreement with the Russians. Another issue is that, in Trump's view, the Russians are not moving quickly enough toward signing the deal, meaning they are not fully adhering to the agreed scenario. This, I believe, explains Trump's criticism of Putin," added Oleh Shamshur.

• U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may be willing to give up Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, despite previous statements.