Donald Trump gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a very smart, very important message today. This preceded high stakes talks between Putin and US entrepreneur Steve Witkoff on the eve of the 2017 CERAWeek. Trump stated, “Russia has to get moving. Too many people are DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war – A war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were President!” The conversations in St. Petersburg were about the ultimate terms of any future settlement to the Ukraine crisis. The Kremlin called the talks, which went on for more than four hours, truly extraordinary.
The meeting’s backdrop brought home the growing toll of the war in Ukraine. Civilian and military deaths have both skyrocketed. With Trump’s statement reflecting his concerns about the humanitarian implications of the war, the international community remains vigilant about the situation. When the negotiations started, one of Witkoff’s first stops was to meet Putin at the presidential library in St. Petersburg.
The UK and Germany jointly hosted an important meeting in Ramstein, bringing together defense representatives from more than 40 countries. Yet, incredibly, the United States was missing in action during this monumental occasion. Donald Trump’s former defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, joined on video instead of in person. This absence became the immediate cause for speculation on what is ostensibly the US’s current diplomatic posture regarding Ukraine.
Earlier this month at the Ramstein meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy couldn’t have been more clear to his military allies—focus on air defense systems. Beyond that, he zeroed in on his request for another ten Patriot missile systems to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses against persistent Russian strikes. Zelenskyy’s call was particularly notable, as he focused on how recent Russian attacks showed Moscow’s refusal to accept plausible, achievable and honest peace plan initiatives.
“Ukraine is not just asking – we are ready to buy appropriate additional systems,” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy’s appeal for more advanced military assistance immediately followed reports of mass drone strikes in the region. The Ukrainian Air Force reported shooting down 24 drones, while another 13 were thwarted from reaching their targets due to effective electronic warfare countermeasures. Here’s how Russia’s air defenses responded late Friday. They bragged about shooting down 13 Ukrainian drones in a half hour.
The mood going into this round of US-Ukrainian talks was characterized as “antagonistic,” according to someone familiar with the negotiations. John Healey amplified this plea. He continued, “There was a quad [Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Iran] agreement. Putin was saying that he wanted peace but rejected a complete ceasefire.” Yet today, his forces are still raining hell down on Ukraine, targeting both military installations and civilian infrastructure. As diplomatic efforts move forward, these exchanges remind us how difficult it will be for any diplomatic settlement to find a stable resolution.
We’ve recently seen reports that Chinese military officers were in the field behind Russian lines. They possess Beijing’s acquiescence to draw operational lessons from the war. The United States has confirmed that Ukrainian forces captured two Chinese nationals in eastern Ukraine. This development has prompted grave concerns over China’s role in the war.
As talks continue, the world watches with bated breath. Should a resolution not be found, analysts warn of post-World War II Berlin-like partition. Gen. Keith Kellogg noted, “You could almost make it look like what happened with Berlin after world war two, when you had a Russian zone, a French zone and a British zone.”