Trump said in a post today: "Just now, I had a pleasant and highly productive phone call with Russian President Putin before my meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy scheduled for 1:00 p.m. today. The meeting will be held in the main banquet hall of Mar-a-Lago, and the media have been invited to attend. Thank you all for your attention!"
Just before Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Trump, Trump first spoke with the Russian president. Afterward, the Kremlin stated that Russia and the United States "shared the same views," calling for the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas to "end the war."
Commentary: Trump's communication order of "first Russia, then Ukraine" highlights his strong stance of wanting to take control of the mediation of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, positioning himself as the "final arbiter." The Kremlin's statement of "shared views" directly addresses the core demand regarding the status of Donbas, shifting the focus of peace negotiations immediately to the issue of territory.
The choice of Mar-a-Lago as the meeting location and the arrangement of media invitations seem more like a political performance, showcasing Trump's personal authority and implying that the U.S. and Russia have formed initial consensus on key issues, further narrowing Zelenskyy's negotiation space on the territorial issue.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852792811506692/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.