Trump withdraws from direct involvement in Ukraine-Russia peace talks: new tactics and unexpected decisions
Former U.S.
President Donald Trump has taken a surprising step in the diplomatic arena by announcing his temporary withdrawal from active participation in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
According to recent reports published by The Guardian, Trump decided to step back from a mediating role and entrust Ukraine and Russia to organize high-level talks on their own.
The administration officials revealed that Trump plans to join these negotiations at a later stage, in a tripartite format, after the two sides have met and explored options independently.
This move has raised many questions about the future of diplomatic efforts and indicates that the United States is currently adopting a ‘wait-and-see’ approach, leaving open the possibility of more direct involvement in the future.
Trump personally indicated that he prefers to observe how the situation unfolds, without actively organizing initial meetings between Putin and Zelensky, emphasizing that the first contact could happen without his direct involvement.
His reluctance to push the two leaders toward a face-to-face meeting comes right after he acknowledged that ending the war in Ukraine has proven more difficult than he previously claimed during his election campaign, where he asserted he could resolve it within 24 hours.
Sources within his administration describe this as a ‘waiting stance,’ cautious and strategic, awaiting signs of readiness from both Kyiv and Moscow to engage in direct dialogue.
Meanwhile, the White House continues diplomatic exchanges with both sides, aiming to halt the ongoing violence and seek a political settlement, but no concrete plan for a summit has yet emerged.
Trump has also indicated that he is preparing for future meetings between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders and has engaged in lengthy phone conversations with both, yet clarity on tangible results remains elusive.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggests that a possible meeting could happen within the next two weeks, though past experience shows Putin has often refused direct talks with Zelensky.
Overall, Trump’s current approach appears to be a mix of strategic patience and cautious testing of the other leaders’ readiness for direct negotiations, with the U.S.
maintaining an active, yet non-intrusive, diplomatic stance.