Will Trump convince Putin to seek peace?

Putin knows very well that there is no peace plan in the West that would ever satisfy him. That’s why he wouldn’t be interested in receiving any concrete proposals right now.

After all, everything is unfolding according to his script: the gradual erosion of Ukrainian territory, the threat of a major strike on energy infrastructure, and nuclear brinkmanship. Why would he need a peaceful dialogue?

Why should Putin change his behavior? If he does, he won’t be able to carry out his strategy of gradually weakening Ukraine - its military, population, and economy.

Putin still needs a long war of attrition. This is his strategic know-how, which allows him to stay confident about the future. But Trump, with his peace initiative, disrupts that momentum and appetite.

Read also: Why has Trump won?

This is where the problem lies. If Putin is forced, through his lack of action on peace talks, to show Trump his unwillingness to follow his lead, it could give Ukraine a "new lease on life" in the war. This would not only benefit Ukraine's defense but also give it an advantage for taking the offensive.

Source

About the author. Oleh Posternak, political strategist, political consultant, member of the Association of Professional Political Consultants of Ukraine.

The editors don't always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.