They are often outrageous, sometimes disturbing and frequently promote falsehoods, exposing the unfiltered thoughts of a thin-skinned narcissist restored to power in the world’s wealthiest nation. Yet could one of them now be the unlikely trigger for peace in the grotesque war that scars our continent?
This followed a phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, which seemed to have solidified their improving relationship after that 15-minute chat last month in the Vatican on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral – an impromptu meeting that appeared to have papered over the pair’s fractious relationship. All this came amid reports that the White House has grown frustrated at Russia’s refusal to bend on its stance over Ukraine while continuing to carry out atrocities.
This statement of the obvious was seen as a hopeful sign. So European leaders, working with the Ukrainian government, opted to try and manoeuvre both the White House – which has been threatening to walk away from peace talks – and the Kremlin into the ceasefire being demanded by Trump.
I joined Starmer, Macron and Merz on their overnight train into the country, so was fortunate to have a ringside seat on the machinations that took place in Ukraine’s presidential palace.
There was also a heavy military presence, with a meeting to plan how this “coalition of the willing” might help secure Ukraine’s terrain after any peace deal, so I found myself listening to the subsequent press conference beside Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Britain’s chief of defence staff, and a top Polish officer. One source at the talks confirmed that boots on the ground remained a possibility.
Despite claims that Russia has seen 900,000 casualties in its floundering invasion, Putin underlined this month that he remains set on his desire to crush Ukraine. And he has been running rings around Trump’s dismal team – to the extent that the US president’s hand-picked negotiator, a fellow property tycoon called Steve Witkoff, even relied on a Russian intelligence operative as his translator in recent talks.
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I know: it is absurd they have to prove to the US that this bloodstained despot is a brutal, warmongering liar given his sordid record. But such is the disturbing reality of today’s White House. And sure enough, the Kremlin reacted by playing its typical stalling games – proposing direct talks with Kyiv to tackle “root causes” of this conflict before agreeing to any ceasefire.
Putin’s message rebuffed European demands while appearing sufficiently engaged to dupe Trump into thinking he is being helpful. His spokesman claimed Europe was “confrontational” and said they would only accept a ceasefire if the West stopped supplying arms to Ukraine.
Meanwhile Kyiv is running out of the US Patriot air defences to protect its cities and civilians. So the atrocities continue, the blood keeps flowing, the bodies pile up, the diplomatic games carry on, an infantile American president keeps ranting on social media – and hopes of a lasting peace in this cruellest of wars remain disturbingly distant.
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