Putin has been challenged, the situation now depends on him: political scientist on the meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump
Kyiv • UNN
The meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump is assessed as positive, having launched a negotiation process involving Putin. Political scientist Oleh Lisnyi believes that everything now depends on the Russian dictator.
Yesterday's meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and American leader Donald Trump can rather be described as positive. Now the situation depends on the Russian dictator Putin, who allegedly agreed to negotiations with Zelenskyy, but for him, this is a challenge. This opinion was expressed to a UNN journalist by political scientist Oleh Lisnyi.
Details
What I expected from this meeting, I actually saw. The predictions that yesterday's meeting might repeat the scandalous meeting in the Oval Office in March did not come true. It was clear that Zelenskyy had prepared seriously, was ready to communicate with journalists, and with Trump. Moreover, with Trump in a constructive way, as Trump himself called this meeting very good
He also named the positive outcome of Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy on August 18.
My prediction was that the meeting would be positive for us if we agreed to agree and communicated in the Zelenskyy-Trump and Zelenskyy-Europe-Trump modes. This is essentially what happened, and it's not bad for us. It's more positive than negative, because I view all these events, which began in Alaska and have now moved to Washington, as a process. It cannot be either historical or a turning point. The first meeting launched a process into which Putin was introduced live – this is very important, because previously he sent his henchmen and blurred the negotiation process, dragging out time
The political scientist emphasized that Putin will now be forced to participate personally.
Therefore, if we take today as today, it is still positive. However, we must understand that this is not a finalization of anything. This is the launch of a process, and this process may not be as fast as Trump thinks. Another important point, in my opinion, is when Trump said after the meeting with Putin that now everything depends on Zelenskyy and Ukraine, now the coin has flipped. Now it depends on Putin. That is, he was challenged: no questions, we will communicate. He seems to have accepted it. And it is very important whether he will go to this meeting (with Zelenskyy – ed.)
Trump after meeting with Putin: "Now everything depends on Zelenskyy"8/16/25, 4:33 AM • 91935 views
He added that this is currently a positive process, or a process that is moving in a positive direction for Ukraine.
Will there be a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy?
Lisnyi noted that for a trilateral meeting to take place, there must first be a bilateral one - between Zelenskyy and Putin.
The big question here is whether Putin will really go for this so quickly, as Trump thinks, and how this meeting will end, that is very important. Only then can we make a forecast whether there will be a trilateral meeting and when. I can't even say whether we are in the middle, or at some point close to the middle of resolving the issue. We are simply moving in a certain direction, which is also unpredictable today
The political scientist emphasized that the meeting with Zelenskyy is a serious challenge for the Russian dictator.
Why does Putin need peace? For him, this is also a serious challenge. If he meets with Zelenskyy, then all his nonsense about Ukraine being an underdeveloped country, that there is an illegitimate government there, that elections need to be held there – they will disappear like dew in the sun. This is also a challenge. I doubt that Putin is ready for a normal dialogue, I doubt it, because he will again declare his goals for the "SMO"
Putin's influence on Trump's position
Lisnyi stated that the meeting in Alaska indeed influenced Trump.
This was in the theses that Trump himself formulated, for example, about a ceasefire. This is his thesis, and when communicating with the press, he said that he never wanted this. That is, this is a step towards Putin, because Putin said exactly that
The political scientist noted that Putin is an experienced politician and knows how to work with Trump.
I wouldn't say that Putin is an experienced KGB officer, he is simply an experienced politician who has seen the fifth US president, Trump is in office for the second time. So he knows how to work. He flatters and at the same time says no, and flattery works for Trump. I see that Trump and his team don't even know the basics of Russian diplomacy from the time of Andrei Gromyko (USSR Foreign Minister in 1957-1985 - ed.). And the Russian team worked according to his scheme - push, push and ask for the maximum, don't agree to anything
Trump yesterday, August 18, during a meeting in the Oval Office with Zelenskyy, stated that he had never discussed a truce.
We can work on a deal while they fight on the battlefield. I would like there to be a truce. Strategically, this may not be in the interest of one of the parties
When German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on President Trump to pressure Putin for a truce to begin already from the next trilateral meeting that could take place with the participation of Zelenskyy and Putin, Trump again rejected a mandatory ceasefire.
About Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump in Washington
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highly praised the meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
According to CNN, at the negotiating table in the Oval Office, in addition to the Ukrainian side, the US, and European representatives, Putin's voice was invisibly present. And although Trump chose an optimistic tone, his seemingly affirmative question "when" indicates whether the Kremlin is indeed inclined to negotiate an end to aggression in Ukraine.
Trump stated on August 18 that Russian dictator Putin would agree that Ukraine should have security guarantees.
Donald Trump also claimed that the war could end in a week or two. According to him, both sides want to reach an agreement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following the meeting with Zelenskyy and Trump, stated that the United States is working on creating security guarantees for Ukraine with allies - European and beyond. After a peace agreement, Ukraine must feel secure in the future.
Rubio also noted that the US hopes an agreement can be reached at the trilateral meeting of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, American leader Donald Trump, and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. The Russian and Ukrainian sides will have to make certain concessions.