New Delhi: The war in Ukraine is caught in a stalemate with battle lines frozen and Russia controlling 18 percent of the former Soviet colony’s territory. But a nearly 90-minute phone call between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin could move the needle.
Trump’s Defence Secretary Peter Hegseth has made clear that NATO membership for Ukraine is off the table, and Article 5 of the NATO charter will not apply to any European or non-European boots on the ground in Ukraine. This leaves open the possibility of a border managed by a UN peacekeeping force, among other options on the negotiating table.
As for Putin, he knows Trump’s return to the Oval Office has upended the superpower balance in the world, and also that the American President prefers a more ‘transactional’ approach to diplomacy.
Against this backdrop, the Chinese have offered to host a summit between Trump and Putin. Though Washington DC has turned down the offer, Beijing is mindful that any improvement in Russia’s ties with the US will reduce its dependence on China.
In Episode 1606 of Cut The Clutter, ThePrint Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta looks at why Ukraine’s resources are valuable to Putin, how the Kremlin is trying to strike a deal with the Trump White House, and where China comes into the picture.
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