U.S. Ceasefire Negotiations: Bizarre Public Quarrel Works to Russia’s Advantage

Editorial

16:06 JST, March 2, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump harshly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose country has been subject to Russian aggression, threatening to back away unless Ukraine agrees to a deal with the United States.

This bizarre behavior by Trump was reported by the media all over the world, and people cannot help but be surprised and concerned. Is this what Trump calls a great America?

Trump and Zelenskyy, who was visiting the United States, held a meeting but their talks broke down.

At the talks, which were open to the press, Zelenskyy said that previous U.S. administrations — including the Trump administration — did not stop Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who also attended the meeting, hit back in response, calling the Ukrainian leader “disrespectful” and getting into a heated argument.

Trump pressed Zelenskyy to be thankful for U.S. support for Ukraine, saying, “Without us, you don’t have any [negotiating] cards.” This remark greatly lacks respect, as it pressured the leader of a country at war to submit.

The two leaders initially planned to sign an agreement to hand over Ukraine’s interest in lithium and other rare earth minerals in the country to the United States, in return for U.S. military support, but the deal went unsigned.

Ukraine has been seeking U.S. involvement, saying that it needs security guarantees to prevent Russia from launching future aggression after a ceasefire is achieved. However, the draft agreement reportedly did not specify such security guarantees, leaving Kyiv concerned and frustrated.

It appears increasingly evident that if the United States pushes forward negotiations with Russia in a way that effectively ignores the wishes of Ukraine and the European countries that support Ukraine, this approach will eventually lead to a deadlock.

Following the breakdown of the Trump-Zelenskyy talks, there is now concern that calls to suspend U.S. military support, which has continued even since Trump took office, will grow stronger in the United States. The war situation will inevitably deteriorate as European support alone will not be sufficient.

The rift between the United States and Europe is also becoming more serious. At the United Nations, the United States joined countries such as Russia and North Korea in opposing a General Assembly resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops that was drafted mainly by Ukraine and European countries.

A situation in which the United States and Russia join hands and confront Europe is exactly what Putin wants. It is urgent for Washington and Kyiv to restore calm and repair their relationship.

Fortunately, Trump has often casually disclaimed remarks that he made earlier. Recently, he called Zelenskyy a “dictator” but later said, “Did I say that?” It is hoped that Trump will make a complete change again this time.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 2, 2025)