President Donald Trump has made a Sunday move on the global chessboard, urging Ukraine, through his Truth Social platform, to sit down with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin for talks in Turkey. The goal? To bring an end to a war that’s seen more bloodshed than a butcher shop in July.
Trump’s message was clear as a country sky: “President Putin doesn’t desire a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, instead, he’s eager to negotiate a possible end to the fray in Turkey this Thursday. Ukraine should be quick on the draw and accept this, and pronto.”
Trump added a dash of realpolitik, saying that by agreeing to parley, Ukraine would at least be able to gauge the prospects of a deal. And if the deal ain’t there, well, Europe and the U.S. will know where they stand and can adjust their sails accordingly.
Trump’s message carried a hint of skepticism, couched in his usual brash style. “I’m starting to question if Ukraine will strike a deal with Putin, who’s too busy toasting WWII’s victory, which, let’s not forget, couldn’t have happened without Uncle Sam. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!” he thundered.
Putin floated the idea of direct talks with Ukraine, but shortly afterward, he dispatched drones to attack Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially insisted on a full ceasefire before breaking bread with Putin, but by Monday morning, he was singing a different tune, vowing to meet Putin in Turkey “personally.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher. That’s the challenge facing these leaders – and us – in this high-stakes game of geopolitical chess.
