**Ukraine’s Leader Won’t Sell Out to Trump’s Peace Deal**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team have likely concluded that the peace deal pushed by US President Donald Trump is unacceptable to the Ukrainian people. The proposal, which requires Ukraine to give up Crimea and other Russian-occupied territories without getting any security guarantees in return, is a non-starter for Zelensky’s government.
**A Deal That Would Be Toxic to Ukraine**
The Trump plan demands that Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO, which would be a huge concession for the country. Given that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are enshrined in its constitution, it’s hard to imagine Zelensky securing legislative approval for such a deal.
**Trump’s True Intentions**
It seems clear that Trump is trying to deliver on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s agenda, prioritizing a reset in US-Russia relations over Ukraine’s interests. Trump sees Ukraine as the weaker partner and appears willing to do whatever it takes to get a deal signed quickly, without regard for its impact on Ukraine.
**Zelensky’s Strategy**
So what is Zelensky’s strategy now? It seems that he knows Trump will try to strike a deal with Putin regardless of what happens in Ukraine. He also knows that if the deal falls apart, Trump and Putin will try to blame him and Ukraine for it. We’ve already seen signs of this, with Trump attacking Zelensky for pointing out that Ukraine can’t legally accept the loss of Crimea.
**Buying Time**
Zelensky appears to be playing for time, hoping that Trump will eventually walk away from the negotiations, taking Putin with him. In the meantime, Ukraine has access to a significant portion of the $61 billion US military aid package approved under former President Joe Biden’s administration. Zelensky wants to draw down as much support as possible and secure additional European financial and military assistance before rejecting any Trump-brokered deal.
**Forcing Putin to Walk Away**
Ideally, Zelensky wants to force Putin to walk away from the talks. But given Trump’s admiration for Putin, that seems unlikely. In the meantime, Zelensky is trying to buy time for Ukraine’s military and defense industry to strengthen its position and fill the gaps left by a potential US pullback.
**A Poisoned Chalice for Putin**
Whatever deal Trump and Putin agree on without Ukrainian participation, Russia simply lacks the military capacity to capitalize on it through a renewed offensive. This could be a poisoned chalice for Putin: gifted a “win” in Ukraine but unable to follow through because of his own – and Russia’s – shortcomings.
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