Trump finds ending Russia-Ukraine war more complex than he thought

Time reported the information.

“Admitting his ignorance seemed out of character for a President who often claims to know more than anyone else, and it could set the peace process on a new and uncertain course,” the journalists write, referring to Trump’s statement after his conversation with Putin on May 19.

At that time, the White House chief said that only Kyiv and Moscow should negotiate, because they “know the details of the negotiations that no one else knows.”

Putin believes Trump’s ignorance about the war gives him an advantage

According to the article, from Putin’s perspective, the U.S. President’s gaps in knowledge about the war in Ukraine have always benefited Russia.

The Kremlin leader has a favorite negotiation tactic: to “overwhelm his interlocutors with historical theories and dubious facts.” Ukrainian officials tried to prepare Trump for such a dialogue with Putin, but “they often ran into a wall of ignorance about Ukraine in the Trump administration.”

A Ukrainian diplomatic source described the Trump administration’s approach to Kyiv as: “It’s as if they know everything and don’t want to hear anything.”

Time also recalls that such ignorance about the war was demonstrated by special envoy Steve Witkoff, who could not name the regions Moscow wants to seize.

“‘These so-called four regions… Donbas, Crimea… You know the names,’ Witkoff said.”

The article emphasizes that countering Russia’s negotiation tactics requires an understanding of facts “that few in the White House can easily piece together.”

“In an effort to broaden Trump’s understanding of Ukraine, President Zelenskyy has repeatedly encouraged him and his senior aides to visit the country and witness the war firsthand. None agreed to join Zelenskyy on one of his frequent trips to the front lines. In February, Vice President J.D. Vance declined one such invitation, telling Zelenskyy he was not interested in a ‘propaganda tour,’” Time recalls.

The phone call between Putin and Trump

After the latest phone call between Trump and Putin, the White House “may no longer be interested in pressuring either side to end the war.” Afterward, the U.S. President did not threaten Moscow with sanctions for refusing a ceasefire and did not promise Washington’s participation in the peace process.

“American efforts to broker peace between them have so far failed to deliver the clean and easy victory Trump promised. In a word, it has proved much more complicated than he thought,” the article concludes.

• On May 20, Trump stated that he was ready to withdraw U.S. participation from negotiations between Ukraine and Russia if no progress was made.