Will Trump really support Ukraine at meeting with Putin?

Wouldn't it be wonderful of we did David but I can't see it happening.

David49

Whitewavemark2

I do hope that europe stands firm against anything daft a Trump tries to do.

Europe, if it wanted to could continue to back Ukraine with arms, it would be very costly indeed, combined Europe has a far stronger economy than Russia, economically we could do that.

Will we.?

Isn’t that Mr Trump’s point exactly? This is a European issue and Europe should be sorting it out; America should not be doing the heavy lifting here.
Europe has begun to step up to the plate at last and I really hope that Mr Zelensky feels properly supported as he goes into negotiations.
If Mr Trump claims credit and gets a medal, really, so what? Jf a proper peace results then that’s a small price surely?

Smileless2012

Wouldn't it be wonderful of we did David but I can't see it happening.

I truly hope so.

Casdon

I’m convinced Putin has the Epstein dirt on Trump, which would bring him down.

Then we'd have Vance.
Perhaps a case of the devil you know?

I doubt that Ukraine will benefit from this meeting in any meaningful way. Neither man cares, has any compassion and Trump is no leader. Putin runs rings round him.

I am not optimistic about today. I don’t trust Trump not to sell Zelensky down the river. He has the audacity to say more than once that Ukraine started this terrible war.

I feel very emotional about this whole terrible war. Will Putin ever get his comeuppance?

Poor Ukraine .... its fate being picked over by 2 thugs while it has to stand by powerless.

Just saw a photo of an exhausted Ukrainian fighter, who seemed to have very little more to give. They have fought so long and hard for their country.

We all know what Ukraine wants, EU and NATO membership, they are not going to get that, Trump and Putin are meeting to find out how many concessions Russia is willing to make to Ukraine, in return for trade restrictions being relaxed.

Ukraine has not got the manpower to sustain the war for ever, now that Russia has geared up for arms production they are far stronger.

If Ukraine does not settle Trump will probably wash his hands of the war and leave it up to Europe to try to get an agreement. Putin knows how difficult that’s going be for Europe.

Points to look out for

1. Territory
Russia occupies around a fifth of Ukraine after more than three years of fighting but continues to demand land. Earlier this week the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russia wanted the rest of Donetsk oblast, 9,000 square kilometres of territory, in return for a ceasefire. Zelenskyy said Ukraine could not agree, particularly for so little in return. Ukraine’s public would also be unlikely to accept handing over more land to the invader.

Kyiv is willing to accept a ceasefire on the current frontlines, which would be followed by discussions about the future status of occupied territory. It is a particularly sensitive issue. Russia has sought formal recognition of at least some of the territory it has seized, most notably Crimea, but at best Ukraine is only likely to accept a de facto occupation. An alternative is that the status of occupied territories be parked for a future negotiation – “in 25 years time”, suggested John Foreman, a former British defence attache to Moscow.

2. Security guarantees
Russia says it wants Ukraine to be neutral, though in practice this means a weak neighbour with no ties to the west. In previous negotiations, still referenced by the Kremlin, it has demanded that Kyiv’s military be reduced to a token 50,000. It also still calls for the country to be “denazified”, interpreted as a call for the replacement of Zelenskyy.

Ukraine would like to join Nato, though this has been rejected by the US, leaving it searching for bilateral or multilateral security guarantees from its western allies. Britain and France have promised to lead a predominantly European “reassurance force” that will enter Ukraine in the event of a stable ceasefire, though Russia is opposed to this.

On Wednesday France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, said Trump had said the US was also prepared to be part of security guarantees to prevent war breaking out again. It is unclear what Trump is prepared to offer though, and a Japan or South Korea style bilateral guarantee looks unlikely. Meanwhile, unless Russia is prepared to accept that Ukraine can determine its own security arrangements, agreed progress appears impossible.

Sanctions and trade
Russia wants economic sanctions that have been imposed on Moscow to be lifted. Trump, however, can only speak for the US, with the UK and the EU likely to be more hostile, unless Ukraine has signed up to an overall peace agreement. The Kremlin also wants to go further, and today Putin’s adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said the leaders would discuss wider cooperation, “including in the trade and economic sphere”, as part of a proposed arrangement between the two countries. Without tangible progress on other topics, a unilateral relaxation of sanctions by the US would be surprising.

4. War crimes, reparations and reconstruction
War crimes and claims for reparations cannot be set aside as part of a peace agreement. The international criminal court (ICC) has an arrest warrant out against Putin over the forced transfer of about 20,000 children from Ukraine to Russia. Zelenskyy has asked that the youngsters are returned in the first stage of any peace discussions, but the ICC demand will not disappear. Ukraine “remains under an obligation to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity against its own citizens”, says human rights lawyer Wayne Jordash from Global Rights Compliance.

The World Bank estimated that the total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine – where most of the war has been fought – amounts to €506bn (£435bn). After a resolution of the UN general assembly, a register for reparation claims has been set up by the Council of Europe to record eligible claims for compensation. However, Russia has so far refused to help fund reconstruction, leaving Ukraine to find alternative ways to fund its postwar rebuilding. An option is to seize Russian assets held abroad, amounting to around $280bn (£207bn), but achieving international consensus around seizure has been difficult.

Other issues
There are many other practical concerns. Ukraine is calling for the release of all prisoners of war alongside an initial ceasefire. Russia holds more than 8,000 Ukrainian PoWs and Ukraine a smaller amount, making one-for-one swaps tricky. But there have been dozens of exchanges since the start of the war, and this may be one of the simpler issues to agree upon.

Early in the war, Russia seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe. Soon after it was shut down, but the site remains in Russian-held territory and there are signs that Russia wants to restart it and connect it to the country’s energy grid, a forced transfer that Ukraine will not recognise, but may be powerless to prevent.

Guardian 15/08

I’m trying to count the cards that Ukraine hold, removal of sanctions I suppose.

If the Russian frozen assets were given over to Ukraine for reparation, that would almost certainly help them win the warm but Hungary and co won’t let that happen.

Stop buying Russian oil would be good and severe sanctions put on those who do. Russian would soon be bankrupt.

I am with Bridie 22 and Casdon, I think Putin has strong evidence against Trump whether it be the Epstein Files or evidence from when Trump visited Russia on one of his business trips!!!
Putin and Trump have no respect for Zelensky whatsoever.
Trump only supports Trump, and Putin is uncompromising: he only wants all of Ukraine.
In the meantime, Netanyahu will be taking advantage in Gaza while everyone is looking in the other direction at Alaska. All three of them should be in custody awaiting long jail sentences.

So Trump won't support Ukraine's admission to the UN, yet he stands to gain from selling Ukraine's minerals to Russia? Can someone explain to me why that's able to happen? (not well-versed in politics)

yogitree

So Trump won't support Ukraine's admission to the UN, yet he stands to gain from selling Ukraine's minerals to Russia? Can someone explain to me why that's able to happen? (not well-versed in politics)

My question is - who owns the land in which they are sitting. Surely it is Ukraine?

Trump can’t possibly own a piece of sovereign territory?

And in any case are they Trumps or USA to sell?

windmill1

Nope. Trump cannot be trusted about anything.

And I suspect he wants to butter up his Puppet Master, Putin. The two of them will carve up Ukraine and it's resources and the Ukrainians will be well and truly shafted.

Displicable criminals ..

In answer to the posted question:who knows? Cartoon in the Telegraph shows Trump and Putin sat either side of the table with Zelensky trussed up like a thanksgiving turkey on a plate on the table.

JenniferEccles

With all the hatred of Donald Trump going on here (which up to a point I can understand) it’s important to remember who the enemy is here.

Surely it’s clear that Trump is the only one with the remotest chance of brokering a deal, along with threats of sanctions etc.
He’s Zelenskyy’s only hope.

You are entitled to your opinion, but I beg to disagree.

Trump is not the only one who might be able to broker a deal, although that is of course what he wants us to think.

I cannot believe that Trump is interested in anything except Donald Trump. He boasted he could stop the war within two days of moving into the White House - well, we have seen what came of that, haven't we.

If Trump thinks it is in his best interest, he will promise Putin that Russia can keep the Crimea and anything on the Russian side of the present battle front in Ukraine.

If this should indeed become the case, then watch out! A new war will start as soon as Russia has weapons enough Whether it will be Ukraine again, or another country Putin will try to grab, I certainly cannot say, but he surely will make the attempt.

If any kind of peace talks are to begin, or even a cease-fire be established, it can only come about if professional diplomats do the spade-work, not too meglamoniacs like Trump and Putin.

Zelinski and Ukraine's only hope is not Trump, but the EU, and perhaps Turkey, who cannot be expected to be overjoyed if the Crimea remains in Russian hands.

The more I read and hear the more convinced I am that there is and has been some very dodgy dealings going on.

Apparently according to Anthony Scaramucci - Trump bought a huge seafront house somewhere in California, and sold it on at a cheap deal to a Russian Oligarch, and he has done this a number of times around the world apparently - all to Russians.

Trump wants to by land in Moscow and build an equivalent Trump tower, and most depressing if all, it is thought that Putin will be after USA know- how - in the oils and associated industries.

Russia was the one to call this summit and announce it, so it is thought that they feel very confident that they will be getting exactly what they want.

It is thought that Ukraine will take a back seat.

So basically nothing is going to happen. Putin will play Trump, Trump will come out saying what a good chap Putin is and we will be zero further forward.

Nobody knows what will happen, if Trump cannot get any kind of way forward to peace it a bad result, will Europe do any better.

Trump has done not an inch of preparation - of course Putin an KGB agent of vast experience will run circles around Trump.

Whitewavemark2

Trump has done not an inch of preparation - of course Putin an KGB agent of vast experience will run circles around Trump.

That’s hardly accurate we have been hearing about increasing tariff on Russian exports for weeks and the promise of removing current trade restrictions.

I mean preparation for the meeting.

Trump didn’t prepare for a North Korea nor for Helsinki.

Trump was totally played. It was excruciatingly embarrassing.

Exactly we have been hearing about increasing tarrif on Russian exports for weeks and the promise of removing current trade restrictions but it's all words and no action.

Luckygirl3

Poor Ukraine .... its fate being picked over by 2 thugs while it has to stand by powerless.

Yes 😥