Next week could be a turning point in the war between Russia and Ukraine as a deadline set by US President Donald Trump for the Kremlin to conclude a peace deal approaches. As it writes Associated Press, it is possible that Trump's "deadline" could pass quietly and without consequences.
As the publication notes, so far Trump's promises, threats and persuasions have failed to change the Kremlin's position, and the diplomatic stalemate persists. Meanwhile, Ukraine is losing more and more territory on the front line, although there are no signs of an impending collapse of its defenses.
At the same time, Trump himself is not sure that sanctions will work. He previously said that Russia has proven that it is “quite good at avoiding sanctions.” The Kremlin itself claims that international sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine have had a limited impact.
“Trump’s comments appear to signal that he is not overly optimistic that sanctions will force Putin to act. The secondary sanctions also complicate Washington’s relations with China and India, which are accused of financing Russia’s military efforts by buying its oil,” — writes AP.
At the same time, senior American officials are warning that the United States may withdraw from the conflict if peace talks are not successful, the publication notes.
Putin himself shows no signs of being willing to make concessions, and the diplomatic atmosphere is heating up as Trump's deadline approaches.
Last Friday, Putin announced the entry into service of Russia's new hypersonic missile, the Oreshnik. In addition, one of Putin's closest associates, Dmitry Medvedev, warned that the war in Ukraine could push Russia and the United States into armed conflict.
"Putin has repeated the same message throughout the war: he will accept a settlement only on his terms and will continue to fight until the terms are met," — the article emphasizes.
