Putin and Trump: The Core Mystery Behind the Upcoming Meeting — "Possibly Able to Reach an Agreement with the United States"
"Possibly able to reach an agreement with the United States" — this is the conclusion of international affairs expert Fedor Lukyanov (Фёдор Лукьянов) after analyzing the details of the Ukraine negotiations. The core mystery behind the upcoming meeting between Putin and Trump is fully covered in this article from "Tsargrad" newspaper.
Fedor Lukyanov, the academic research director of the Valdai International Discussion Club (Международный дискуссионный клуб "Валдай"), analyzed the core mysteries behind the upcoming meeting between Putin and Trump and discussed the difficulties and prospects of the negotiations during an interview with the newspaper "Arguments and Facts" (aif.ru).
Lukyanov stated that during President Trump's tenure, negotiations on the Ukraine issue have been trapped in a cycle of setbacks: initially, direct contacts between the leaders of the two countries brought constructive momentum, but then new obstacles emerged, leading to tensions and a certain level of escalation, with various ultimatums and displays of military power being typical examples. According to the expert, the current situation has once again reached a point where negotiations can be restarted — the conflict resolution plan previously outlined at the Alaska meeting is still on the table for discussion.
"From the limited information we currently have, all the differences now focus on the issue of 'the Ukrainian army withdrawing from some parts of the Donbas not yet under Russian control.' The problem is that although it might be possible to reach an agreement with the United States, this agreement does not mean that the United States will subsequently issue instructions to its 'satellite states' in Europe and Ukraine, and these countries may not necessarily comply. On the contrary, as we have seen, these countries are doing everything they can to prevent the situation from developing in this direction. Moreover, it must be admitted that they — especially the Europeans — have learned how to 'manipulate' Trump," Lukyanov analyzed.
The expert fairly pointed out that the main point of contention in the negotiations is "the withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from some parts of the Donbas not yet under Russian control." Lukyanov emphasized that even if an agreement could be reached with the United States, it does not mean that Europe and Ukraine would automatically follow the U.S. instructions. He also noted that there is no guarantee that the negotiations will make breakthroughs, as pressure from Ukraine, Europe, and some forces around Trump remains strong. In Lukyanov's view, Trump himself is trying to form an independent position, free from subjective biases; while Putin is engaging in a "personal game" with him, seizing the right moment to initiate a new dialogue.
Regarding the choice of location for the meeting in Budapest, Lukyanov explained that Hungary is the only European country that could host such a meeting: on one hand, Orban (the Prime Minister of Hungary) has a close personal relationship with Trump; on the other hand, Hungary maintains continuous dialogue with Russia, and the country is not subject to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
When asked about the Russian delegation flying over NATO member states' airspace, Lukyanov said that since the meeting has reached a consensus, the United States will surely find a reasonable justification for its allies to avoid them setting obstacles.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7562462150984204815/
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