“I think we have a deal with Russia,” declared US President Trump from the Oval Office this week. “We have to get a deal with Zelensky. I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky. So far it’s been harder.”
Not for the first time, Trump blames Zelenskyy for peace reluctance. The US administration appears determined to make a scapegoat of him and Ukraine, having prepared its exit strategy: if they see no immediate results, they’ll abandon their “peace efforts” altogether.
While the negotiation process opened a freeway for direct US-Russia talks and contemplated restoring diplomatic and economic relations, it achieved little in ending Russia’s terror against Ukraine during the past three months.
Instead, Russians intensified attacks on civilian infrastructure and population: yesterday’s devastating strike on Kyiv, recent major attacks on Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Kharkiv, and many other places have killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians and injured hundreds.
The scale of yesterday’s attack speaks for itself – Russia launching a combined 215 missiles and drones against Ukraine, with most aimed at Kyiv. This wasn’t a random strike but a deliberate message, coming just hours after Trump’s criticism of Zelenskyy.
As Ukrainians dug through rubble and counted their dead, the supposed “readiness for peace” Trump’s team sees in Putin seemed a cruel joke.
The American administration may finally have “a better understanding of the Russian position,” as State Secretary Rubio puts it, but it profoundly misunderstands Ukraine’s.
President Trump continuously insists he doesn’t want people dying “for no reason,” making no distinction between aggressor and victim – when in reality, this distinction matters profoundly.
Russians are dying on foreign soil in their conquest to subjugate Ukraine. Ukrainians are fighting and dying to protect their country and people from invaders. Perhaps for an American administration wielding global power with an army “to fight and win the Nation’s wars,” Russia’s imperial ambitions feel more familiar than Ukraine’s desperate defense – especially when Trump himself makes comments about taking over Greenland and Canada “for security.”
Let’s be clear: Ukraine has never attacked anyone. Its defense forces exist solely to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Can Russians stop fighting? Absolutely – Ukraine poses no threat; they can simply withdraw.
- Can Ukrainians stop? No – not unless Russians leave, because otherwise Ukraine ceases to exist as an independent nation.
Ukraine faces attacks like yesterday’s combined strike of 215 missiles and drones while Russia shows zero peace readiness. Ukraine committed to a comprehensive US-proposed ceasefire over 40 days ago, which Russia never reciprocated. Instead, Russia escalated attacks.
Yet Trump’s team somehow perceives “readiness for peace” in Russia’s actions, with special envoy Steve Witkoff importing Russian narratives into American discourse after each meeting.
Trump insists he doesn’t want people dying “for no reason,” making no distinction between aggressor and victim – when in reality, this distinction matters profoundly.
What does this “deal with Russia” that Trump boasts about actually entail? Nothing short of Ukraine’s capitulation.
Reports reveal the administration’s framework demands Ukraine accept Russia’s theft of Crimea, freeze the current front lines (abandoning millions of Ukrainians to occupation), forswear NATO membership forever, and watch as sanctions against Russia dissolve. In exchange, Putin would graciously stop bombing the country he’s been destroying – while keeping the 20% of Ukraine he’s stolen.
This isn’t peace-making – it’s enabling a land grab.
Accepting these Russian demands and pressuring Ukraine into these conditions isn’t a sophisticated “deal.” It’s a sophisticated trap, as it creates a dangerous global precedent.
If America cares about its global standing and worries about China’s intentions toward Taiwan, it shouldn’t reward invasion. And if human life truly matters to the US administration, it should pressure Russia to stop its daily terror first.
The American administration seems desperate for a “quick deal,” while Russia seizes the opportunity to achieve through American negotiation what it couldn’t achieve through military means. No wonder Zelenskyy refuses to cross this red line – surrendering Crimea wouldn’t just betray Ukrainians; it would tell every dictator that patience in conquest eventually pays off.
As Trump complains about Ukraine’s reluctance, the sound of emergency vehicles in Kyiv tells the true story about Russia’s “readiness for peace.” The question isn’t why Ukraine won’t surrender – it’s why America would even suggest it should.
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