Former Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelian has warned that Russia is openly misleading Donald Trump, calling it “the greatest tragedy” for the US president, according to Espreso TV.
Omelian has argued that Trump’s strategy — seeking economic deals with Russia in exchange for easing sanctions or pressuring Ukraine — is doomed from the outset. Trump hoped that “the dry magic of numbers” would prevail, trading reduced sanctions for multibillion-dollar business projects with Russia. But that formula has failed, he says.
“For now, (Trump’s envoy) Witkoff keeps promising Trump that success is just around the corner and that they’ll soon be billionaires. But this, too, will collapse. Russia will betray the US at the first opportunity, whether in coordination with China or acting alone. That’s simply the nature of the Kremlin today,” Omelyan believes.
He notes that while some residual fear of Trump remains in Moscow, respect for him — and for European leaders — is steadily declining.
“They see that verbal threats no longer translate into real consequences for Russia,” Omelian says.
According to him, true security for Ukraine could only come from decisive Western action.
“A few hundred NATO fighters and bombers, along with a few thousand NATO missiles, could eliminate Russia’s forces in Ukraine and at its borders within weeks. That’s the real path to peace. Only after that should negotiations begin,” he emphasizes.
As for nuclear risks, Omelian dismissed them as overblown.
“There have been worse crises before, and Russia still refrained from using nuclear weapons,” he explains.
Omelian adds that Putin is fanatically obsessed with his own health and survival.
The former minister underlines that he sees no grounds for American success under the current strategy.
“First, the US has yet to produce a new Kissinger — and with all respect, Witkoff is no Kissinger. Second, America lacks real leverage to force Russia into peace talks or persuade China to abandon Moscow. Third, when you engage barbarians with civilized gestures instead of defeating them, you only embolden them,” Omelian concludes.
Earlier, The Telegraph called the “Easter truce” proposed by Russian ruler Vladimir Putin a ploy, the cynicism of which became obvious when the occupiers continued their attacks, violating their own promises.
The so-called Eastern truce lasted 30 hours in Ukraine. However, during that time Ukraine recorded at least 2,000 violations and assaults on the front lines, which resulted in casualties. In the early hours of the truce, Russia launched over 90 drones at Ukraine and killed a 72-year-old civilian in Kherson Oblast by deliberately dropping a munition from a drone.
