Sourced fact
The News
Two-day diplomatic talks in Oslo and St. Petersburg confirmed that the war in Ukraine is still far from a clear end. The Prime Minister of Norway described the talks as "fruitful and useful," with the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Weisskoff. The idea of holding a trilateral meeting at the leader level in Oslo was proposed, but Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed reluctance to participate except in Moscow. Putin's foreign affairs aide, Yuri Ushakov, stated that the talks did not offer any new ideas to help resolve the Ukrainian crisis.
Ushakov told a Russian government television channel that he did not know how close they were to peace, but things were heading in the right direction. However, Putin does not feel pressure to end the war, seeing winter as an opportunity to strike Ukraine. A Russian political commentator noted that Donald Trump is "the only person in the Western world doing anything for peace," implying peace on Russia's terms. Putin and Trump, along with Chinese President Xi Jinping, are expected to meet in China next month on the sidelines of the APEC summit. Some analysts describe these meetings as a "new Yalta," positioning Russia, China, and the United States as the world's only superpowers.
Analysis & context
Analysis & Context
Analytically, Russia does not feel the need to negotiate peace at this time, seeing Ukraine's challenges in air defense and the harsh winter weather as advantageous. The Kremlin also views U.S. President Donald Trump's desire to improve relations with Russia as strengthening Russia's position. In a broader context, the APEC summit in China next month may lead to a meeting between Putin and Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, potentially reshaping global relations. This meeting could mark a turning point in world politics, as Russia seeks to reclaim its superpower status.
