Details have emerged explaining why negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin broke down over the Ukraine war and peace talks. What seemed poised to lead to a personal meeting in Budapest suddenly collapsed due to Russian demands deemed unacceptable by the US. Washington now faces a dilemma as some of Trump’s voters show decreasing support for Ukraine, while the country may shift its foreign policy focus to Venezuela.
Despite this, Foreign Policy magazine published an in-depth analysis and a proposal on how to secure significant military aid for Ukraine—up to $100 billion including advanced weaponry. The plan involves involving the US in European security programs, allowing weapons transfers to Ukraine through multilateral contracts while avoiding domestic political hurdles.
Western media highlights that Kremlin’s unacceptable conditions—including a radical reduction of Ukraine’s military, demilitarization, and renouncing NATO membership—provoked frustration from Trump and US officials. This shut down the prospect of a personal meeting, though talks remain possible in the future.
At the same time, the article notes that even if the US shifts focus to Venezuela, geopolitical pressure on Russia could rise via oil policy. Lower oil prices could weaken Russia and force it to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
The article also discusses the challenge of flagging support for Ukraine among US conservative voters. The author recommends that Ukrainian politicians step up outreach by sending veterans to the US to explain the war's realities to Americans and working more with local opinion leaders.
Foreign Policy proposes an alternative plan: integrating the US into European security initiatives. The idea is for the US to supply weapons to Europe through major contracts, with Europe then transferring these arms to Ukraine. This would maintain Kyiv’s military capability regardless of political shifts in Washington.
In sum, the Trump-Putin rift has spurred the search for new mechanisms of aid to Ukraine. A shift in US attention does not necessarily mean loss of support if multilevel contracts allow a flexible and stable response to Kyiv’s defense needs.
