Russian dictator Vladimir Putin sees his upcoming meeting with US leader Donald Trump as an opportunity to emerge from international isolation and rehabilitate his image on the world stage. He is most likely not interested in peace talks to end the war against Ukraine at this time.
Points of attention
- There is a risk that Putin will try to impose his conditions on Trump to end the war.
- The new US president's approach differs from Joe Biden's team's strategy towards Ukraine.
Why does Putin need a meeting with Trump?
According to David Kirichenko, an associate researcher at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based think tank, the illegitimate head of the Kremlin is more concerned with his own political position than with the course of the war and its end.
Currently, Putin is counting on the fact that a high-profile meeting with the head of the White House will help him strengthen his position both inside Russia and abroad.
Putin has no choice but to appease Trump. At the same time, with Russia's economy teetering on the brink of economic collapse, he is acting cautiously so as not to provoke Trump, who has already hinted at the possibility of tightening sanctions against Russia.
Official Moscow does not plan to negotiate an end to the war directly with Ukraine.
This does not alarm the new US president, who wants to be a key figure in this process and does not pay much attention to what Kyiv's role will be.
Trump's approach is different from Biden's
As is known, former White House Chief of Staff Joe Biden has publicly insisted on the principle of "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine" many times.
However, the new US president is determined to act, focusing on his own priorities and political goals.
Against this backdrop, the Russian dictator sees Trump's desire for a deal as an opportunity to insist on terms favorable to Russia.
However, such a development could harm Ukraine and its territorial interests.
Above all, Putin craves a direct summit with the US, excluding Ukraine, to reinforce his narrative of Russia as a global superpower. Such talks would end his isolation, confirm his claims to Ukraine’s sphere of influence, and satisfy his desire to project Russia as an imperialist power, warns Kirichenko.
