Donald Trump has announced the possibility of imposing sanctions not only on Russia but also on Ukraine if Kyiv does not make progress toward a peace settlement. In his analysis, Vitaly Portnikov emphasizes that Trump often blames Ukraine for the ongoing war with Russia, despite previously claiming the conflict could be resolved quickly through talks with Vladimir Putin.
Trump highlights that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not an entirely innocent party, claiming Kyiv tried to defeat a much stronger adversary. However, Zelensky was elected on a platform of peace, initiated contact with the Russian side, and met with Putin as part of the Normandy Format. Much of Zelensky's presidency took place during Trump's term, which also saw the first presidential impeachment tied to pressures on Ukraine regarding military aid.
Trump now refers to a change in the US approach, with arms provided to Ukraine mainly through European partners rather than directly. However, his team does not clarify how the war could end by year's end, even as they call for a Nobel Peace Prize for Trump.
Trump comments on Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s statement that Putin will not sign agreements with Zelensky, cautioning against ignoring Moscow's real intent. Economic sanctions on Russia may have limited effect given modest trade volumes, and sanctions on India and China have not curbed their energy ties with Russia. Thus, the notion of 'economic war' remains vague.
Portnikov notes that meaningful progress toward peace would require robust Western military support for Ukraine—something Trump is not proposing. Instead, Trump’s rhetoric avoids tough action against Russia and places the blame for continuing conflict on Ukraine, which has suffered from Russian aggression for over 11 years.
