From "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine" to the meeting in Saudi Arabia: what agreements are being made between Trump and Putin?

A Friendly Tone: Putin Draws Trump into His Narratives

In the past week, Donald Trump has spoken with Putin about Ukraine at least twice. While the Russian leader was reluctant to acknowledge their previous contact, this time both parties officially confirmed the conversation. According to statements from Dmitry Peskov, a representative of the Russian leader, Putin and Trump discussed for at least an hour and a half.

Just hours prior, Vladimir Zelensky confessed in an interview with the British newspaper Economist that he knows nothing about Trump and Putin's contacts, receiving all information from the press.

Donald Trump revealed details of his negotiations with Putin in a post on his social network, Truth Social. He noted that the conversation was "long and very productive": "We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, energy, artificial intelligence, the strength of the dollar, and many other topics."

The Russian leader's website also published a brief statement indicating that the main topic was indeed Ukraine: "Donald Trump expressed support for an immediate cessation of hostilities and resolution of issues through peaceful means. The President of Russia endorsed one of the key points made by the American leader regarding the need for our countries to work together."

The Russian leader invited Donald Trump to visit Moscow and emphasized that to end the war, "it is essential to eliminate the root causes of the conflict." In his post on Truth Social, Trump praised Putin for his constructiveness and confirmed his intention to visit Russia in the future and host the Russian leader in the United States. He specifically mentioned that the U.S. and Russia were allies during World War II.

"We talked about the great history of our peoples and reflected on how successfully we fought together in World War II, remembering that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we also lost so many! Each of us spoke about the strengths of our nations and the significant benefits we could have from working together. But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths occurring in the war between Russia and Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong campaign slogan: 'common sense.' We both strongly believe in it. We agreed to work closely together, especially to visit each other's countries," Trump noted.

Mentions of shared history and World War II may indicate that Putin has succeeded in drawing Trump into his narratives and imposing a Russian imperial viewpoint. Interestingly, when discussing losses in World War II, Trump does not recall other nations of the Soviet Union that participated, particularly the Ukrainians.

According to the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, six million Ukrainians fought in the ranks of the Soviet army during World War II. At least three million died in battles. Additionally, more than five million civilians died in Ukraine during the war.

Trump's mention of Russia's significant role in the victory over Nazi Germany and complete disregard for Ukraine's role may suggest that, in his worldview, Ukrainians lack subjectivity in the historical process. Perhaps this is why Trump calls Putin first, followed by Zelensky.

Putin's Diplomatic Victory?

Trump's willingness to speak with Putin and exchange invitations undermines efforts to politically isolate Russia in the West. It is uncertain how the negotiations between the U.S. and Russia regarding Ukraine will conclude, but the very fact of these discussions constitutes a diplomatic victory for Vladimir Putin.

Firstly, he is once again being engaged with in the West. Secondly, Putin is negotiating the fate of Ukraine bypassing Kyiv. Therefore, the principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," strictly adhered to by former U.S. President Joe Biden, is effectively no longer in play.

In a comment to CNN, John Bolton, who served as national security advisor in Trump's first administration from 2018 to 2019, noted that Donald Trump "has effectively capitulated" to Vladimir Putin ahead of negotiations regarding Ukraine's fate: "Putin couldn't be happier. I tell you, today in the Kremlin they're drinking vodka straight from the bottle. It was a big day for Moscow."

Democratic Senator Adam Schiff also sharply criticized Trump for his call to Putin.

"President Trump called our enemy, Russia, before calling our ally, Ukraine. Meanwhile, his Secretary of Defense ruled out a future for Ukraine in NATO and the return of its sovereignty over its territories. Let's not sugarcoat what this means: it's a betrayal of Ukraine's interests and our own even before negotiations began. Trump really knows how to make deals—for the Kremlin," Adam Schiff wrote on social media.

Roland Oliphant, a journalist from the authoritative British publication Telegraph, agreed with Adam Schiff's assessment. According to him, Trump's call to Putin was a real gift for the Kremlin: "What happened is a significant victory for Putin's worldview. He has always believed that only those countries that can determine the fate of others are sovereign. But a victory for Putin's ego is still not a victory in war."

If Trump manages to freeze the war in Ukraine along the front lines, this would "reward Russia for stolen lands and leave Ukraine vulnerable to attack in the coming years," wrote Roland Oliphant in an article for the Telegraph.

"Unfortunately, the sanitary border that the West has established around Moscow in an attempt to isolate the Russian president has now expanded. Too much is still at stake, and the grim, inevitable rules of war mean that fighting at the front will only intensify. Meanwhile, Britain and Europe must ask themselves: do they want to be at the table or on the menu? It's time to make a decision," wrote Roland Oliphant.

However, Trump's peace efforts can also be viewed as a positive for Ukraine, regardless of whether they lead to a cessation of hostilities. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth insists that Trump's negotiations with Putin do not constitute a betrayal of Ukraine. After all, the American leader is not only calling Putin but also speaking with Zelensky.

It is also noteworthy that Trump does not blame Kyiv for its unwillingness to achieve peace through negotiations, as Putin constantly claims. The U.S. President emphasizes that Ukraine seeks a peaceful agreement and places the responsibility for the continuation of the war on Russia.

Zelensky's Reaction

Trump's conversation with Zelensky, which took place immediately after the call with Putin, lasted about an hour. The President of Ukraine stated Kyiv's readiness to work together with Washington to end the war.

"It was a lengthy conversation. We discussed many nuances—diplomatic, military, economic—and President Trump informed me about what Putin said. We also talked about our technological capabilities, particularly regarding drones and other modern manufacturing. I am grateful to President Trump for his interest in what we can do together. Ukraine wants peace more than anyone. We are defining our joint steps with America to stop Russian aggression and guarantee reliable, lasting peace. We agreed on further contacts and meetings," Zelensky noted after the call.

Shortly before the phone call with Trump, Zelensky met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who arrived in Kyiv on an official visit. Bessent presented Zelensky with a draft partnership agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. concerning security, economic, and resource cooperation.

"We discussed Ukraine's minerals with Scott Bessent. Our team received the first draft of the corresponding U.S. document on partnership between our countries. We will do everything to reach an agreement quickly and sign this document at the Munich Security Conference," stated Zelensky.

According to the U.S. Treasury Secretary, this document aligns with Donald Trump's vision for a swift end to the war. It is still unclear whether this agreement includes further supplies of American weapons to Ukraine.

"The agreement on rare earth resources is part of a larger peace agreement conceived by President Trump. Increasing our economic involvement through partnership with the government and people of Ukraine will provide it with a long-term security shield once the conflict is over," stated Scott Bessent after meeting with Vladimir Zelensky.

In turn, Trump noted that the conversation with Zelensky was fruitful. He also announced negotiations between Ukrainian representatives and the American delegation, led by Vice President James D. Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio. The meeting is scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday, February 14.

"The conversation went very well. He [Zelensky], like President Putin, wants to establish peace. We discussed a variety of topics related to the war, but most of all—the meeting scheduled for Friday in Munich. I hope the results of this meeting will be positive. It's time to stop this senseless war with its massive and completely unnecessary deaths and destruction. God bless the peoples of Russia and Ukraine,"</