President Donald Trump is applying his signature negotiation style to the Ukraine war, presenting Russia with a choice of extremes to be decided within two weeks. The options on the table are stark: face “massive sanctions” and tariffs, or benefit from the US “doing nothing” if progress is made towards peace.
This ultimatum was delivered after Trump’s recent diplomatic tour de force, which included meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The American president is now watching closely to see if Putin and Zelensky will agree to a trilateral summit, a move Zelensky has supported. “It takes two,” Trump remarked, underscoring the need for mutual effort.
Interestingly, as the threat from Washington intensifies, Vladimir Putin has chosen to praise Trump personally. During a speech marking the 80th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear industry, Putin described Trump as a “light at the end of the tunnel” for the deeply strained relationship between their countries, offering a potential diplomatic off-ramp.
Putin’s comments also carried a familiar tone of Russian exceptionalism. He asserted that sovereignty is fundamental to Russia’s survival, a condition he believes does not apply to Western European nations. This philosophical stance adds another layer of complexity to the high-stakes situation created by Trump’s impending decision.