According to Axios, the administration of US President Donald Trump is putting pressure on the team of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to end the war, but is in no hurry to increase pressure on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
Points of attention
- The focus on pressuring Ukraine while overlooking Russia's role in the conflict raises questions about the administration's priorities and diplomatic strategy.
- The implications of Trump's actions on the ongoing war and peace negotiations remain uncertain, with potential repercussions for the region and international relations.
What are Trump and his team achieving?
Recently, the head of the White House made it clear that he was ready to withdraw from negotiations to end the war, allegedly because he was disappointed with the failed US efforts on this issue.
As one insider told reporters, Trump wants to focus on other areas of foreign policy if he cannot reach a peace agreement in the near future.
We need to find out... within a few days whether this is possible in the short term.
Marco Rubio
Head of the US Department of State
According to three European diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Rubio's statements were primarily directed at Ukraine.
Another insider added that in this way Trump is increasing pressure on Zelensky in the public arena.
Kyiv's allies are concerned that the US withdrawal from the negotiations could lead to the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine.
What is also important to understand is that during the negotiations in Paris, Rubio did not talk about increasing pressure on Russia.
"It seemed that Rubio and Witkoff were under a lot of pressure from Trump and were trying to pass it on to other players," anonymous sources said.
