[US media: Trump would consider his job done if he could get Russia and Ukraine to start direct negotiations]
On May 10, The Wall Street Journal reported that last week, when Trump spoke in front of major donors, he said that ending the war between Russia and Ukraine was "an increasingly growing source of frustration that kept him awake at night." Putin has taken a "particularly tough" stance in the negotiations and wants all of Ukraine.
A few months ago, Trump had promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours. Then the deadline kept being extended. Trump himself explained his promise of 24 hours by saying that he was joking at the time.
In the past few weeks, Trump has complained to his advisors in private conversations that the Russian government does not want to end the war with Ukraine, and both sides refuse to make compromises. He also asked his advisors whether they thought Putin had changed since Trump's first presidential term.
This year, Trump believed that persuading Kyiv was more difficult than persuading Moscow to end the war. Recently, senior US officials admitted that Russia remains the biggest obstacle. Specifically, Moscow disagrees with the unconditional 30-day ceasefire supported by Kiev. The Kremlin demands more concessions from Ukraine.
Even replacing the Ukraine envoy Kellogg, whom Russia was dissatisfied with, with Vytsekov did not accelerate the end of the war. Vytsekov has repeatedly pressured Russia and Ukraine to agree to some unfavorable conditions. Now, Vytsekov says he just wants both sides to sit at the negotiation table, but he has yet to achieve this.
Some US officials speculate that if Trump can get Russia and Ukraine to start serious direct negotiations, he may consider his work done. What happens after that will depend on Russia and Ukraine, which will allow the US to focus on other priorities.
Recently, US Vice President Vance stated that Russia cannot expect to gain control of Ukrainian territory it "hasn't even conquered." If Russia does not sincerely engage in negotiations, the US will withdraw from the process.
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1831801723112448/
Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's views.