Putin seeks broader deal with Trump before ceasefire - NYT
Kyiv • UNN
Putin seeks to use ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine to reach geopolitical agreements with the United States. The Kremlin wants to squeeze the maximum benefits from Trump's desire to conclude a peace agreement.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin seeks to use negotiations on a ceasefire in Ukraine to achieve broader geopolitical agreements with the United States. This is reported by The New York Times, writes UNN.
Details
According to the media, while Ukraine states that it is ready for a complete ceasefire, Putin has made it clear that he will first seek a wide range of concessions.
In particular, the Kremlin, as indicated, is determined to squeeze as much benefit as possible from Trump's desire to conclude a peace agreement on the war in Ukraine, even if it slows down negotiations. From Moscow's point of view, improving relations with Washington is an economic and geopolitical boon - which can be achieved even if Russian missiles continue to attack Ukraine, the publication writes.
Interviews last week with senior Russian foreign policy figures at a security conference in New Delhi reportedly showed that the Kremlin views negotiations on Ukraine and US-Russia ties as proceeding along two separate tracks. Putin continues to seek a far-reaching victory in Ukraine, but indulges Trump's desire for a ceasefire in order to take advantage of a thaw with Washington, the publication indicates.
Vyacheslav Nikonov, Deputy Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the lower house of the Russian parliament, said that Trump and Putin are developing a "bilateral agenda" that is "not related to Ukraine."
"Ukraine is next in line," Nikonov said in an interview at a conference in New Delhi. "The offensive continues," he added. "But I think that for Putin, relations with America are more important than the specific issue of Ukraine."
It is reported that Moscow seems to think that interaction with Trump could open up economic benefits, such as basic spare parts for Russian Boeing aircraft, and geopolitical benefits, such as reducing NATO's presence in Europe. It is less clear whether Trump will use these hopes as leverage to get a better deal for Ukraine, and whether he will at some point lose patience with Putin.
"Trump likes quick deals," said Alexander Dynkin, an international affairs expert who advises the Russian Foreign Ministry. "If he sees that there are great difficulties, he may become frustrated and dismiss the problem."
As a result, Putin seems to be doing everything possible to maintain Trump's interest.
As for Ukraine, Putin has shown no signs of abandoning his far-reaching goals - guaranteeing that Ukraine will never join NATO, renouncing the Western alliance in Central and Eastern Europe, limiting Ukraine's armed forces, and a certain level of influence on Ukraine's domestic politics.
Fyodor Voitoloovsky, director of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations in Moscow, said that Russia would seek a "road map" for a broader agreement before agreeing to any ceasefire.
He also said that Russia could accept UN peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, as long as they did not include troops from NATO countries.
"For Russia, the long-term perspective is more valuable than a tactical ceasefire," Voitoloovsky said. "We can come up with a model that will allow Russia and the United States, as well as Russia and NATO, to coexist without interfering in each other's spheres of interest," he added.
Voitoloovsky argues that a broad agreement on Ukraine is a prerequisite for US-Russian cooperation, and that Trump, "as a businessman," understood that Russian assets are currently undervalued.
Dynkin, a Russian international affairs expert, said the Kremlin could remove the United States from the list of "unfriendly countries" - a classification that restricts the ability of American companies to do business in Russia.
According to him, Moscow is particularly interested in negotiations on the aviation sector, given the problems faced by Russian airlines in servicing their American-made aircraft.
