The Financial Times newspaper in the UK reported on May 14 that US President Donald Trump's administration has begun to change its attitude towards Ukraine.
During a foreign policy forum held in Washington on May 7, when US Vice President Jay DeVens was asked about Ukraine, diplomats expected him to criticize Kyiv as usual, but instead, they "heard completely different things." DeVens spoke about Russia's demands to stop the war in Ukraine, stating, "In our opinion, they are asking for too much." The next day, in an interview with Fox News, he reiterated this sentiment and added that he could not "hope that they will give up the territories that Russia has not yet occupied."
According to the newspaper, American officials are increasingly showing intolerance towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, as "the suspicion is growing that the biggest obstacle to peace may not be [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky, but the Russian leader." The US has begun to view Putin as the main obstacle to stopping the hostilities in the Russia-Ukraine war, as the Russian president is not willing to compromise, FT writes.
"Americans had this simple idea - let's charm Russia, put pressure on Zelensky, and we will reach an agreement. It turns out that charming Russia alone is not enough," said German diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger, former ambassador of Germany to the US. He emphasizes that he is pleased that DeVens has changed his view on Russia and that the positions of the US and Europe are coming closer. At the same time, Ischinger points out that the American vice president has not mentioned that "it is time to twist the screws" on Russia.
Observers believe that Russia's intransigence is angering Donald Trump. "There is a sense of regret in his words. Perhaps he realizes that he has given too much and received nothing in return," said Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia.
Another American diplomat, William Taylor, who served as the US ambassador to Ukraine from 2006 to 2009, believes that Trump has realized that Putin is "not a friend of the US." "He cannot be trusted... there is a growing understanding that he is not engaging in serious negotiations," Taylor said.
"Trump clearly sees that Putin is not ready to cooperate. However, I am not confident that this will result in significant pressure on Putin," said Eric Green, a Carnegie Endowment staff member who worked as the senior director for Russia on the National Security Council under US President Joe Biden.
US-Ukrainian relations have normalized since a dispute between the two countries' presidents, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, took place in the Oval Office in February. The Financial Times notes that the agreement on natural resources signed by the parties has significantly helped to restore relations. According to Ukrainian officials, the agreement increases the likelihood that the US will continue to support Ukraine's defense. "Now Trump is in the game," said one of the Ukrainian officials.
At the same time, the publication raises the question of whether "Trump has really begun to show goodwill towards Ukraine or is he signaling his readiness to punish Russia for not submitting." Many Western leaders, as well as Trump's special envoy Keith Kellogg, criticized Putin's proposal for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and not to cease military actions (the West and Ukraine are demanding this), but Trump "highly values Putin's gambit."
Experts believe that Russia is waiting for Trump's patience regarding the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine to run out. "Putin plays a long game and believes that time is on his side. He is waiting for Trump's interest to wane, for Americans to stop military aid, which would weaken the Ukrainian army," said Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia.
Others believe that the risk of Trump abandoning Ukraine has decreased in recent weeks. Trump will find it difficult to achieve one of his main goals - to restore relations with Russia - without resolving the Ukraine issue in advance, said Thomas Graham, a staff member of the Council on Foreign Relations and former senior director for Russia on the National Security Council. "A lot is at stake. Yes, he could abandon Ukraine, but if he does, it would look like a failure," Graham said.
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