Media Explains Trump’s Ways to Persuade Russia, Ukraine

(MENAFN) According to a report published by Politico on Friday, US President Donald Trump believes that Russia should be "coaxed" into entering peace negotiations with Ukraine, while Ukraine can be "pressured" into the process due to its strong reliance on Western support.

The publication, citing unnamed insiders, noted that Trump perceives Russia as having “the upper hand” in the ongoing conflict.

These revelations come amidst growing speculation regarding a possible high-level meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

This potential summit has gained traction after Trump held a rare in-person meeting with Putin in Alaska—their first direct conversation since 2019—followed by separate discussions with Zelensky and senior EU officials.

Following these meetings, Trump stated that he had “begun the arrangements” for facilitating a meeting between the two leaders, suggesting it could significantly speed up the peace process.

He characterized his dialogue with Putin as “very productive,” while indicating that Zelensky “has to show some flexibility” ahead of any potential summit.

One former US official informed Politico, “[Trump] has long believed that Russia has the upper hand in the war itself and needs to be coaxed into peace talks.”

The source also emphasized Ukraine’s dependence on US-provided military equipment and intelligence, noting, “So there are more pressure points to get them to accept a deal.”

While President Putin has not dismissed the idea of a summit, he maintains that such a meeting must be preceded by meaningful progress in diplomatic negotiations.

Furthermore, Moscow has cast doubt on Zelensky’s legitimacy, referencing the expiration of his presidential term.

For his part, Zelensky has expressed a willingness to meet but has stipulated that the meeting should occur in a “neutral” European location and with the involvement of his EU allies.

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