US President Donald Trump is discovering that it is more difficult than he may have imagined to communicate with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he is only the most recent American leader to fall short in his effort to win over Russia and its long-serving president. Despite a flurry of diplomatic activity, the Trump administration’s efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine have largely stalled.
Trump has had at least two in-depth phone conversations with Putin since he returned to the White House. He has also dispatched his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow on numerous occasions to meet the Russian leader face-to-face, most recently on Friday.
None of these discussions have resulted in an agreement, which is not unexpected to many Kremlin observers. In addition to returning empty-handed, Witkoff reiterated several crucial talking points from the Kremlin.
According to individuals familiar with the specifics, the most recent US plan calls for acknowledging Russian sovereignty over Crimea, which has long been a red line for Ukraine and its European allies, CNN said.
“From Putin’s perspective, I think the negotiations are going well,” Angela Stent, a foreign policy specialist and former National Intelligence Council national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia, told CNN.
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