Trump and his Ukraine mission: merits and impending failure

Trump and his Ukraine mission: merits and impending failure

It was the best day Ukraine has seen in a long time. But it remains difficult to see how the war sparked by Russia's brutal invasion can end any time soon.

A historic visit to the White House

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the White House on Monday and in contrast to his last visit there was no argument in the Oval Office.

Trump's ambivalent opportunities

President Donald Trump offered promising glimpses of how he could achieve presidential greatness by helping Ukraine, securing Europe and actually earning the Nobel Prize for Peace. A group of European leaders who supported Zelensky were impressive and remarkably united, despite their ideological differences. They took turns at the microphone trying to give Trump a political and emotional reason for his support for Ukraine.

Fracture in the transatlantic alliance

It is a sign of tensions in the transatlantic alliance and of Trump's fragile temperament that avoiding disaster is seen as serious progress, especially after the Concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin at their raunchy summit in Alaska last week. Everyone who attended the remarkable White House talks, Trump included, appeared to emphasize the positive possibilities and avoided specific discussions of topics that could ruin the day.

Energy and commitment to peace

By evening, Trump posted on social media about a possible three-way summit he would host soon, which could also include Zelensky and Putin, possibly before a bilateral meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said such a meeting could take place within two weeks, suggesting an accelerated diplomatic momentum.

Security and territory issues

Although there has been a lot of positive talk about the need to give Ukraine security guarantees after a peace deal, no one has yet explained what this will specifically look like and what Russia would accept as part of a deal.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni floated the suggestion that Western countries could offer NATO Article 5-style guarantees that formally arise outside the alliance structures. But given Trump's assurances that Putin is open to security guarantees for Ukraine, this remains a bold proposal. The Russian leader is waging a war to suppress his neighbor's NATO ambitions. So why should he accept an agreement that offers Ukraine pseudo-allied status?

The sensitive issue of the exchange of territory

A critical issue is the issue of territory. The term “territorial swap” is central in the context of Trump’s burgeoning peace process to create a new demarcation between an enlarged Russia and a newly weakened Ukraine. Trump even gave Zelensky a map, symbolizing serious decisions about bloodstained land.

However, the idea of ​​a “land swap” can bring widespread upheaval and trigger future conflicts, as history in the Middle East shows. It means thousands of Ukrainians will have to leave their homes or become Russians. Zelensky would have to explain to the parents of fallen Ukrainian soldiers why their sons and daughters died for territory that will be given to Putin.

Criticism of Trump's diplomatic approach

Despite all the optimistic discussions, worrying questions remained unanswered. Trump, who has historically been hesitant about the kind of massive military aid packages that helped Ukraine after Putin's brutal invasion in 2022, has invested his personal commitment and political influence in his efforts to achieve peace. But it remains to be seen how long he can maintain these contradictory claims.

Overall, the path Trump wants to take could present both opportunities and risks that cannot be easily resolved. Millions of lives depend on the decisions that must be made in the coming weeks.