When Zelenski was humiliated in the Oval Office and accused by Trump of not wanting peace, furthermore, of „playing” with the Third World War, the Russians laughed and praised the performance of the American president over the Ukrainian one. Now, things are completely different.
A remarkable turn of events places Putin right in Zelenski’s spot.
The US clearly indicates that it now considers Russia as the "obstacle" to peace if it rejects a ceasefire.
So, Vladimir Putin suddenly finds himself with the same problem as Volodymyr Zelenski, according to an analysis by Politico.
Putin must tread carefully in his relationship with Trump
The willingness of Ukraine to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire after talks with the US in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, puts direct pressure on Putin to do the same.
Trump prides himself on his ability to make deals and exploded against Zelenski when he deemed him an obstacle to an agreement; the billionaire tycoon cut military aid to Kiev and was angered that the Ukrainians did not want peace. The Russians rejoiced.
Now, after the talks in Saudi Arabia, it's the Russians' turn to be in trouble. Trump's Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, clearly stated that "the ball is in [Russia's] court" and emphasized that if Moscow does not accept the ceasefire, "then, unfortunately, we will know who the real obstacle to peace is here."
Therefore, Putin must be cautious. Trump only cares about getting his approval and doesn't like anyone standing in his way, notes Politico.
Lavrov asserts: A ceasefire = defeat
Just a few hours after the ceasefire proposal, Russian forces launched an airstrike on Zelenski's hometown, Krivoy Rog, killing a 47-year-old woman, stated the regional governor.
Russian strikes also targeted Kiev, Kharkov, and Odessa. Four people died when a rocket hit a ship loaded with cereals in Odessa.
Trump said he aims to have a conversation with Putin, whom he has praised in recent weeks as a reliable partner seeking peace, but the Kremlin remains cautious. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says such a call could be arranged quickly "if necessary."
On Wednesday morning, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova seemed to overturn the idea of an interim ceasefire, stating that Moscow will make its own decisions about the war and will not follow the line set by Washington and Kiev in Saudi Arabia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also seemed to anticipate a broader reset between Washington and the Kremlin. He said the West seems to show "the first signs of awareness" that they need to collaborate with Russia, but he appeared skeptical that an immediate agreement is imminent.
Lavrov highlights a major issue for Putin: the fact that a ceasefire could indeed appear as a strategic defeat, making it difficult for Moscow to accept (even though Russia has a history of ignoring ceasefires and diplomatic agreements), according to the cited source.
An influential Russian parliamentarian also intervened on Wednesday, warning that Russia has not finished fighting and insisting that any ceasefire agreement will be on Moscow's terms only.