Trump’s Ultimatum for Putin in Ukraine: Real Peace really possible?

Imperial goals, a failing economy, and China’s ambitions: Russia won’t yield. Will Trump’s new sanctions and tough talk force an end to the Ukraine war?

Donald Trump dropped his opening salvo in the “End the War in Ukraine” promise. On Wednesday, he posted on his Truth Social account a message aimed at the notorious war criminal Vladimir Putin. We’re not particularly enamored with the opening line—“I’m not looking to hurt Russia.”—but the message was rather obvious: either we (Ukraine and Russia, with the US standing and watching) make a deal, or he’s going to get unpleasant.

Trump made many bold promises during his presidential campaign—some of which he started to fulfill on the day of his inauguration, signing 26 executive orders—but he overdid it with the promise to end the war “in one day.” Of course, “one day” was an obvious decorative formula, a kind of hype trash talk in the style of professional wrestlers. Still, it was certain that Trump wants to end the Russian invasion on Ukraine as soon as possible. He will not succeed. He has one partner in this challenge willing (although not at any cost) to talk—Ukraine. The other side—Russia—as in the fable of the Scorpion and the Frog, only wants to deceive him.

AI-generated image showing the intentions of notorious war criminal Vladolf Putler.