On February 12, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in a 90-minute call. In this call, both parties agreed to begin negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as improve the diplomatic relations and ties between the U.S. and Russia. The two established three goals together. These included restoring staffing in Washington and Moscow, creating a high-level team to monitor Ukraine peace talks, and exploring closer relations. While reflecting on these talks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “We not only listened but also heard each other.”
Although these talks initially seemed promising, they failed to gather the support of the international community. European allies expressed concern, and these talks ended years of progress from a former U.S. campaign to isolate Putin over his actions in Ukraine. Additionally, European allies worried that they were being left out of the negotiation. During the talks, no Ukrainian officials were present, and while Trump said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be involved, it was unclear whether other European allies would get a say in the future. Frustrated with the current outcome, Zelenskyy declared that he would not accept the result of these talks if they were held “behind Ukraine’s back,” and Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukraine’s presidential advisor, said that it was ridiculous for Russia to be talking about peace while murdering Ukrainians. However, White House officials denied these claims. They defended that Trump had recently spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron and was set to consult with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the future. Still, Podolyak declared that there was no point in having “fake peace.”
After hearing these objections, Trump sharply suggested that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war and “should have never started.” However, this was untrue, since Russia had invaded first three years ago. Next, Trump criticized Zelenskyy for delaying Ukraine’s elections due to the invasion, even though it followed the Ukrainian Constitution. Trump denounced the Ukrainian President as a “dictator without elections,” who would have to “move fast or not have a country left.” These actions deeply offended many citizens in Ukraine and eroded the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy. To ensure that Zelenskyy did not retaliate, U.S. Vice President JD Vance warned Zelenskyy against “badmouthing” Trump.
The situation continued to go downhill during a U.N. vote hosted yesterday. In the General Assembly, the U.S. refused to blame Russia for the invasion, going directly against the will of its European allies. Voting against a Europe-backed resolution that called out Moscow’s aggression and demanded an immediate withdrawal of troops, the U.S. voted with Russia. Next, the U.S. abstained from voting on a resolution led by France, which established Russia as the aggressor and advocated for its own U.N. resolution. In the resolution, Russia was not acknowledged as the aggressor, and Ukraine’s territorial integrity was not recognized. Additionally, it asked for a quick end to the conflict to urge long-lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine, while mourning the lives lost during the conflict. This resolution passed with 10 votes in favor, and 5 abstentions from European nations.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Shea addressed the resolution, saying that although it was a first step, it was a crucial one that brought the countries closer to peace. While these talks heighten tensions between the U.S. and Russia, they are a great step towards ensuring peace and preventing future tragedy. However, Ukraine’s dissatisfaction with the procedures could lead to later conflicts, and the U.S.’s actions have created a deep strain on its relations with Europe. Although peace talks are currently in progress, Europe continues to fear the expansion of Russian power since the removal of troops is not in current plans. When reflecting on the current geopolitical situation, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned of possible danger ahead.
Written by Claire Liu
