CNBC is reporting that Russia Pres. Putin is not interested in a peace deal:
- U.S.-Russia Talks: The Trump administration has started preliminary negotiations with Russia to end the Ukraine war, with discussions set to take place in Saudi Arabia.
- Putin’s Intentions: Western intelligence officials and U.S. congressional sources indicate there is no intelligence suggesting Putin wants a real peace deal; instead, he still aims to control all of Ukraine.
- Putin’s Strategy: Intelligence suggests Putin believes he is winning and can wait out Ukraine and Europe. Battlefield losses are not pressuring him to stop fighting.
- Trump’s View: After a call with Putin, Trump stated he believes Putin wants to end the war, contradicting intelligence reports. He also spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, who expressed a desire for peace.
- Negotiating Team: Trump has assembled a team for negotiations, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
- Fogel’s Release: The U.S. secured the release of American teacher Marc Fogel from Russia, with Witkoff traveling to Moscow to bring him back. During the trip, Witkoff met with Putin for three hours, though details of the meeting remain undisclosed.
- Next Steps: Rubio, Witkoff, and Waltz are set to meet the Russian delegation as part of the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
US and Russia envoys met today and drew a framework for continued talks. That meeting was to the chagrin of Ukraine’s Zelenskiy and EU who are not liking not being at the table. My guess is the time will come but….
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy subsequently canceled a meeting in Saudi Arabia which according to sources was to not give legitimacy to US, Russia meeting.
Finland PM also said that:
- Ukraine must have right to apply for NATO membership
- possible peace agreement must not weaken NATO defence and deterrence
France convened a second meeting to discuss Ukraine and European security including NATO allies not invited on Monday.
