The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, proposed Moscow as a venue for the summit with the Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. It reveal sources close to interviews. According to two sources aware of yesterday’s phone call between the president of the United States Donald Trump and Putin, the Russian leader “mentioned Moscow”. According to sources, Zelensky has already responded to “no”.
The climate seems changed, and everything would let us think of an acceleration towards the end of the war. But beyond the good intentions, from the summit to the White House between Trump, Zelensky and European leaders you go out with a path still to be built. And with all the main nodes of the negotiation still to be dissolved.
* Treaty yes respite no.
Zelensky, supported by the European Championships, would like to cease the immediate fire. Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz said it clearly during the top of the White House, claiming that weapons silent should be the first step before starting a real negotiation. Donald Trump who, by marrying the Kremlin line, said that the negotiations can go on even while in Ukraine he fights. ‘It can also be negotiated under the donation, the former Russian president, Dmitri Medvedev, said days ago.
* The Terre disputed.
The positions of Moscow and Kiev remain crystallized. Putin (in addition to the definitive recognition of Crimea to Russia) wants all the Donbass, with the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from the south-eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk partly occupied by the Russians. He then wants to freeze the situation at the front in the other two partially occupied Ukraine Oblasts: the southern ones of Kherson and Zaporizhzia. Zelensky holds the point: ‘No gift to the invader ». And showing a map of the disputed areas in Trump, he explained the impossibility of Kiev to give in to the Donbass, where that extreme Ukrainian defense line is located which, if left in Moscow, will be able to open the road to future Russian invasions.
* The guarantees for Kiev.
Many hypotheses. From article 5 in NATO (but outside the NATO), to an air defense shield, to the strengthening of the Arsenal and the Ukrainian army. All solutions that in one way or another are opposed or looked at with great diffidence from the Kremlin and which, in part, also divide the Westerners.
* Boots on the ground.
To protect Kiev some European capitals – Paris, London and Berlin in the first place – would like to send soldiers to Ukraine, in the form of interposition forces. On the part of Putin there is the absolute veto for troops from NATO countries. Trump has assured that he will never send US soldiers. The military presence could take the form of a conspicuous strength of Peacekeeping (to integrate the Ukrainian army), or that of a “tripwire” force (much smaller but that could work as a deterrent), or that of an observation force with a hundred soldiers who limit themselves to supervising any attacks.