Trump's approach to Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations
Is President Trump taking the right approach to end the Ukraine-Russia war? Viewpoints from multiple sides.
Quick announcement
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Snippets
California lawmakers passed a redistricting plan favoring Democrats that counters similar measures in Texas that would create 5 more Republican House seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a special election on Nov 4 to invite voters to approve the new congressional maps.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized National Guard troops patrolling Washington, DC to carry weapons, though it is unclear the extent to which troops will be armed. The number of troops also increased from 800 to roughly 2,000 after 6 Republican-led states sent additional troops to assist Trump’s effort to address what he called “out of control” crime in the city.
The UN’s global hunger monitor stated that roughly 514,000 people in Gaza City and its surrounding areas are suffering from famine, the first official declaration that conditions in the region have reached famine level.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) will downsize its personnel by up to 40% and dissolve several agency centers as part of a sweeping restructuring initiative. The cuts are expected to reduce the agency’s budget by $700 million.
The state of Florida appealed a court order to shut down a controversial immigration center in the Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz” within 60 days due to environmental concerns.
What’s happening
Over the past 10 days, President Trump has engaged in a series of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and a number of European leaders as part of a diplomatic push to end the Ukraine-Russia war.
Trump’s meeting with Putin: On Aug 15, Trump held a face-to-face summit with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine. Trump, who reportedly had intended to secure a ceasefire at the summit, issued a warning prior to the meeting that there would be “severe consequences” for Russia if Putin did not agree to end the war.
Trump and Putin met in private and ended the summit by each issuing a statement. Putin said that Russia was “sincerely interested” in ending the war, but first had to “eliminate all the primary roots, the primary causes of that conflict.” Trump, following Putin’s statement, called the meeting “productive.” And while admitting that a deal to end the war had not been reached, Trump said that “we've made some headway” and that he and Putin agreed on most points.
Following the meeting, Trump posted that “the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.” This represented a change from Trump’s pre-summit demand for a ceasefire, which Ukrainian officials continue to push for. Trump reportedly informed Zelenskyy that Putin wanted Ukraine to cede the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, two territories under Ukrainian control that Russia and Ukraine have been fighting over for more than a decade, as a condition to ending the war. Prior to the summit, Zelenskyy had stated Ukraine would not withdraw from any territories it controlled.
Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders: On Aug 18, Trump hosted Zelenskyy as well as the heads of France, Britain, Finland, Germany, Italy, the EU, and NATO at the White House. As part of the meeting, Trump declared that the US would “help” and “be involved” in providing Ukraine with security guarantees as part of any deal to end the war with Russia. (Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but at the meeting, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed the potential for providing Ukraine “Article-5-type of security guarantees,” referring to NATO’s principle of collective defense.)
Trump did not elaborate on what kind of support the US would provide – he has promised that no US troops will be on the ground, but it is being reported that US air power could be offered. In response to the White House meeting and discussion of security guarantees, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it would "categorically" reject "a military contingent with the participation of NATO countries" inside Ukraine.
Looking forward: Trump is trying to arrange a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin to further peace talks. (It is unclear whether Trump would also be in attendance.) Russia, which reportedly had shown interest in a sit-down between Putin and Zelenskyy during the Alaska summit, this week changed its tone and downplayed the chance of a meeting by saying that the peace talk process should be performed “step by step, gradually.”
As the situation evolves, debate continues over whether Trump has taken the right approach toward achieving peace between Ukraine and Russia. Today, we bring you the viewpoints from multiple sides. Let us know what you think.
Notable viewpoints
More opposed to Trump’s peacemaking approach:
Trump has rewarded Putin, a dictator and war criminal.
“The fact that this meeting even took place – at the invitation of President Trump, on American soil, without Ukraine present, and with zero concessions from Russia – is an undeserved reward for Putin, who has continued to… refuse to negotiate meaningfully about an end to the horrific war he started. President Trump should have pressured Putin by imposing crushing sanctions… and providing Ukraine with the tools it needs to defend itself. Instead, by quite literally rolling out the red carpet, Trump has legitimized Russia’s aggression and whitewashed Putin’s war crimes. It’s shameful.” (Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-New York.)
In taking the meeting with Putin, Trump ignored US sanctions against Russia as well as an international arrest warrant for Putin. Trump effectively sided with Putin against the rest of the democratic world and damaged the US’s position as a global supporter of democracy.
Trump does not understand that Putin does not make deals with others, but instead takes whatever he can until stopped by force. By appeasing Putin with a meeting and not following through on the “severe consequences” he threatened if a ceasefire wasn’t reached, Trump did not get any closer to a peace deal. Instead, he signaled that Putin, who is radical in his desire to control Ukraine, does not have to take peace talks seriously.
Trump’s approach will not bring peace to Ukraine.
In diplomacy, Trump focuses on optics over substance and attention to detail, and his vague and contradictory peacemaking tactics will not bring peace to Ukraine. For example, neither Ukraine nor Russia will agree to the terms he is currently suggesting to end the conflict – Ukraine will not agree to give up land it controls, and Russia will not agree to Ukraine getting a security guarantee from the US.
The Trump Administration, by continuously refusing to take more punitive action against Russia throughout the Ukraine war, has emboldened Russia to continue the war and undermined Ukraine’s ability to negotiate for peace.
Trump did not push back on Putin’s demands that Ukraine abandon Donetsk and Luhansk, which are currently under Ukrainian control. Relinquishing these territories would leave Ukraine exposed to future Russian aggression. Any deal in which Russia gains control of Donetsk and Luhansk would essentially equate to Ukraine’s surrender.
Following the Alaska summit, Putin is showing no serious interest in a peace deal – just last week, Russia carried out some of its largest drone and missile strikes of the war. Trump has been played by Putin, and he will not achieve sustainable peace for Ukraine unless he deploys a much harder policy against Russia.
More supportive of Trump’s peacemaking approach:
Trump has not favored Putin and has engaged in necessary diplomacy with both sides.
Trump did not align himself with Putin, he aligned himself with the reality that Russia maintains leverage over Ukraine on the battlefield, and that the best that Ukraine can hope for is a peace negotiation in which Putin drops some of his more extreme demands, including that Ukraine demilitarize. If Trump having held a meeting with Putin gets Putin to reduce his demands, then it was worth it.
“[C]ritics are treating the very existence of contacts between leaders as a surrender. And by doing so, they're boxing themselves into a dangerous, pro-war position… if the president can't even deign to talk to foreign rivals, then it becomes impossible to avoid or end violent conflict…There may be better or worse strategies to end the war – but refusing to talk is no strategy at all.” (Matthew Petti, Reason.)
Trump’s ambition to end the war is commendable, but it is a difficult situation. In Putin and Zelenskyy, Trump is dealing with two leaders who are unwilling to budge on their positions, and the only way to end the conflict is if both leaders make middle-ground concessions.
Trump’s actions have increased the likelihood of peace in Ukraine.
Trump’s meeting with Putin was a step towards peace, where both leaders have opened a dialogue and appear willing to continue the conversation. The summit represented progress and has renewed diplomatic energy and optimism throughout Europe for ending the war.
Trump genuinely wants to create a lasting peace in Ukraine, which is why he’s committing to providing security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a peace negotiation. Trump deserves praise for his preparedness to work alongside European allies to enforce stability throughout the region.
Trump has significantly raised the probability of ending the war. He has the ability to create peace in Ukraine, and can do so by reinforcing his security guarantees to Ukraine, leveraging his skills of strategic ambiguity by going back to threatening Russia with military muscle and sanctions, and supporting US legislation that would provide military assistance to Ukraine.
Even if Trump’s attempt to end the Ukraine war fails, Trump was not wrong for trying – wanting to end a brutal war is a good thing. Moreover, Trump’s actions have improved conversations between Russia and the US and may encourage further diplomatic activity that moves Ukraine closer to peace.
Be heard
We want to hear from you! Comment below with your perspective on Trump’s approach to Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations and we may feature it in our socials or future editions. Below are topic ideas to consider.
Do you agree with Trump’s approach towards ending the war in Ukraine? Why or why not?
What are some arguments or supporting points you appreciate about a viewpoint you disagree with?
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What concerns me about this summary is that Trump had promised to end the Ukraine -Russia war 'on day one' and that absurdity was not acknowledged. I think this meeting with Putin was a demonstration of how little Trump understands Putin. Putin was smiling like the Cheshire Cat throughout the entire meeting while Trump was looking increasingly dejected.