Putin’s Win-Win: Take a Russia-Friendly Peace Deal, or Fight On

[Maximum Overkill 2,501]

Ukrainian and European officials sprang into a frenzy over the weekend to alter President Trump’s new 28-point peace plan to end the war in Ukraine, developed with input from Russia and heavily weighted toward the Kremlin.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, for his part, sat back and watched.

For the Russian leader, a Kremlin-friendly peace plan that enshrines Ukraine’s perpetual subordination and vulnerability would be a win. So would a failed process that leads Mr. Trump to pull remaining support for Ukraine and further antagonize European allies.

U.S. and Ukrainian officials reported progress on talks aimed at amending the proposal, saying they had made some unspecified changes. By late Monday, the officials had returned home.

It is unclear if Mr. Putin will accept those changes. On Friday, in a video conference with security officials, the Russian leader said the 28-point plan could be the foundation for a peace settlement, pending “substantive and meaningful discussion,” or Russia could keep pressing its case in Ukraine by force.

More Ukrainian cities will fall to Russian troops, “perhaps not as quickly as we would prefer, but inevitably,” Mr. Putin warned. He said such a path “also suits us,” because Moscow was content to pursue its interests “through armed confrontation.”

Putin’s Win-Win: Take a Russia-Friendly Peace Deal, or Fight On - The New York Times https://share.google/lQMLcMJjaXsJlTOPs

 

[weepaws 3,365]

Trump helping those that helped him get elected.  Yawn.