Putin wants guarantees, not territories: why the Kremlin seeks a meeting with Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin is actively seeking a personal meeting with US leader Donald Trump, hoping to achieve his goals in the war against Ukraine not through combat but through diplomatic agreements. It is not so much about territory as about guarantees of Moscow’s geopolitical influence and Ukraine’s neutrality, which, in the Kremlin’s opinion, only Trump can provide.

This is reported by The New York Times .

Russian President Vladimir Putin sees a potential meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump as a crucial step in implementing a strategy to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin is relying less on victory on the battlefield and more on the chance to reach an agreement without military effort.

According to the publication, Putin does not insist on control over the territories as the ultimate goal, but instead demands “guarantees of influence” – in particular, a ban on Ukraine’s accession to NATO and a halt to the Alliance’s further expansion to the east. Moscow believes that it is Trump, if returned to power, who may take such steps.

Putin’s intentions are also evidenced by the words of pro-Kremlin political scientist Sergei Markov, who bluntly stated: “Russia needs Trump to implement its conditions.” According to him, Putin wants to “calmly discuss all issues important to the United States and Russia.”

On Thursday, Moscow officially confirmed its intention to hold a personal summit between Putin and Trump, although a date has not yet been announced. However, the White House agreed only on the condition that the Kremlin demonstrates a real willingness to cease fire.

On the eve of the meeting with Trump, Putin held talks in Moscow with Trump’s confidant, Steve Witkoff. As confirmed by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, “signals” were conveyed at the meeting regarding the situation in Ukraine.

Analysts suggest that Russia may make some concessions on the issue of annexed territories. It is worth recalling that the Kremlin previously demanded recognition of the annexation of four regions of Ukraine, although part of these territories remained under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In American political circles, this raised doubts about the sincerity of Putin’s intentions.

Sources close to the Kremlin say that Putin’s key demands are:

• Neutral status of Ukraine.
• Guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO.
• Limitations on Ukraine’s military capabilities.
• The formation of a more pro-Russian political environment in Kyiv.

Political analyst Tetyana Stanova of the Carnegie Eurasian Center stressed that Putin wants “guarantees that Ukraine will not be in NATO and will not become a platform for NATO presence.” Territorial issues, she said, are “a subject of negotiations.”

Thus, the Kremlin is betting not on tanks, but on negotiations with the one it believes is capable of giving what it wants — Donald Trump. But whether Trump will agree to such conditions remains an open question.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump informed European leaders of his intention to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week , and then to organize a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This could be the first direct dialogue of this format since the start of the full-scale war.

It is worth adding that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that after a conversation with Donald Trump, Russia is demonstrating greater readiness for a ceasefire . At the same time, he warned that the Kremlin should not be allowed to deceive either Ukraine or the United States. The head of state also noted the successes of the Ukrainian army in Kursk, which forced Moscow to ask for help from the DPRK.

By the way, US President Donald Trump announced progress in negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine . According to him, his special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin, after which consultations with European allies began.

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