Scholz and Putin: conditions for peace remain unclear

1. First, it's clear that Trump and the European political elite have different ideas about how the war should end. After Scholz's call, Trump's position seems to have gained more traction.
2. Second, European politicians have been indecisive for too long and lack a real strategy for negotiations. A firm stance would likely involve escalating the war, something Trump has shown readiness for but Scholz has not. This is why Scholz's call can be seen as a failure.
3. In the near future, we can expect heated debates over the next steps. Given the current situation, Europe won’t be able to make demands of Putin or Russia, which means the United States will likely be the main beneficiary of any future agreement.
4. President Zelenskyy's reaction indicated that, although Scholz's call was reportedly coordinated with him, he was evidently dissatisfied with Ukraine and himself being sidelined from the discussions. Unfortunately, this trend will likely continue, especially with the growing number of "peace formulas," "victory plans," and other initiatives that shape Ukraine's position. We're not even discussing whether they are realistic or not, as that is a matter of individual interpretation.
5. We can expect more pressure on Ukraine shortly, along with more peace initiatives. On one hand, this could help end the war sooner. On the other hand, we don't know what the peace terms might look like. And a return to the 1991 borders is not on the table right now, as Scholz's call showed.

Source

About the author: Serhii Huz, Ukrainian journalist.

The editorial staff does not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.