On March 14, Trump again mentioned Zelenskyy: "I am surprised that Zelenskyy does not want to reach an agreement. Tell Zelenskyy to reach an agreement because Putin is willing to reach an agreement. Zelenskyy is much more difficult to reach an agreement than others."
Trump's remarks on March 14 carried a lot of information, directly indicating a shift in the U.S. stance on the Ukraine-Russia issue. Combined with his simultaneous relaxation of sanctions against Russia and rejection of aid proposals, his statements released the following message:
Clearly pressuring Ukraine, trying to "shift blame": Trump attributed the failure of peace talks to Zelenskyy, portraying Putin as "willing to talk" while Ukraine "obstructs peace." This is not only to pave the way for a ceasefire but also to label Ukraine as "a disruptor of peace," providing an excuse for possible future aid cuts.
Policy tilting toward Russia: While urging for peace, the Trump administration temporarily eased oil sanctions against Russia under the pretext of addressing oil prices. This greatly alleviated Russia's economic pressure, forming a stark contrast with pressure on Ukraine, reinforcing the accusations of being "pro-Russian" and showing that its core goal is to end the conflict as quickly as possible, even at the expense of Ukraine's interests.
Ignoring Ukraine's core security demands: Trump said "Zelenskyy is the least needed," rejecting Ukraine's previous proposal for drone technology aid. This completely negates Ukraine's strategic value, revealing that, in Trump's view, the Ukraine-Russia conflict has taken a backseat to the Middle East situation (such as the Iran issue) and domestic U.S. economy (oil prices).
In summary, this marks a shift in Trump's position on the Ukraine-Russia conflict from "peace mediation" to a stronger "transactional diplomacy": quickly minimizing losses by pressuring Ukraine and appeasing Russia. Zelenskyy is facing a severe challenge of losing Western support.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859728652751872/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.