Russian dictator Vladimir Putin relies more on a meeting with US President Donald Trump than on his own army. The Kremlin considers a possible summit with Trump to be the main tool for achieving strategic goals in the war against Ukraine – keeping it out of NATO and changing the geopolitical reality.
This is reported by UNN with reference to New York Times.
Details
For Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, the war in Ukraine is not only a battle for territories, but also for a new security architecture in Europe. And in this game, he sees no one else as his main ally than Donald Trump.
According to Western analysts and sources close to the Kremlin, Putin is convinced that only a personal meeting with Trump can ensure his strategic "victory" in the war – not on the battlefield, but at the negotiating table.
Moscow's main goal is to force Ukraine to stay out of NATO, block further expansion of the Alliance, and fix new "rules of the game" that are beneficial to the Kremlin. For this, Putin needs not just a ceasefire, but a loyal (or at least pragmatic) American partner who is ready to make a deal that will take into account Russian interests.
Putin wants to keep Trump as a resource for future peace talks. Trump is needed to achieve Russia's terms
It is indicative that back in January, Putin publicly stated his desire to meet with Trump:
Perhaps it is better for us to meet – and, based on the realities of today, calmly talk about all areas that are of interest to both the United States and Russia
On August 7, the Kremlin officially confirmed the preparation of a meeting between Putin and Trump, although the date of the summit has not yet been disclosed. However, Trump's team is not in a hurry to give final consent – it demands signals from Moscow that Putin is indeed ready for a full ceasefire in Ukraine.
Despite this, the Kremlin does not hide that it sees in Trump's return to the White House a chance to implement a scenario in which Moscow will be able to "fix" the results of the war without achieving a military victory.
Analysts emphasize:
The summit with Trump for Putin is not just a diplomatic episode, but a potentially decisive moment of the war – and a chance to outplay the West not by force, but by political maneuvers.
Recall
Russian dictator Putin announced a possible meeting with President Zelensky on the condition of creating appropriate conditions. He also expressed interest in meeting with Trump, which, according to him, was mutual.
Putin's aide called the US proposal, which Trump's special envoy Stephen Witkoff brought to Moscow, "quite acceptable."
The media suggest that the US offered Russia a truce in Ukraine (but not yet peace), the actual "recognition" of Russia's territorial gains with the prolongation of discussions for decades to come, as well as the lifting of sanctions.