**Trump’s Frustration with Ukraine May Not Be Enough to Get Russia on Board**
U.S. President Donald Trump has been open about his frustration with Ukraine, saying it’s “more difficult” to deal with than Russia. But despite strong-arming Ukraine into submission, the Trump administration has yet to ask Russia for a single concession.
**Experts Warn of Russian Tactics**
Experts say that when dealing with Russia, the U.S. needs to be prepared for a tough negotiation. Russia expert Ryhor Nizhnikau says that President Vladimir Putin sees Trump as a “useful idiot” who can help promote his agenda. Nizhnikau expects the Kremlin to reject the proposed ceasefire and come back with counter-proposals, trying to draw out the negotiating process.
**Russia’s Strategy**
The Kremlin has been quiet about the proposal, but experts believe that they will reject it and demand more concessions from Ukraine. Russia’s strategy is to keep pushing for what Nizhnikau calls “dangerous ideas”. The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that if Russia rejects the ceasefire proposal, then “we’ll know what the impediment is to peace here”.
**Concessions Already Made**
The Trump administration has already made concessions to Russia, ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and insisting on territorial concessions. This has emboldened Russia, which will now demand more from the negotiating process. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul says that this is an “incredibly bad negotiating strategy” by the Trump team.
**The Road Ahead**
It’s unclear what the U.S. can do to impose Ukraine’s demands on a maximalist Russia. Trump remains upbeat, but experts are skeptical about the prospects for peace talks with Putin. As negotiations continue, it’s likely that Trump will become “very disappointed in Putin” as he keeps moving the goalposts and upping the ante.
**A Long Way from Peace**
Russian-born columnist Sergei Parkhomenko believes that genuine peace talks are wishful thinking. He says that Putin needs this war for its own sake more than a victory or Ukraine itself. Real peace directly contradicts his political interests, making it unlikely to happen anytime soon.