Abdelrahman
It is puzzling to see President Putin’s recent shift regarding international peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. Just a few days ago, Russia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom firmly dismissed the idea of British troops being stationed in a post-war Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump has suggested that Putin may be open to the deployment of European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a potential agreement to resolve the ongoing conflict.
During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House, marking three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Trump made his remarks known to reporters.
“Yes, he will accept it,” Trump stated, noting that he had posed the question to Putin directly. “Look, if we finalize this deal, he’s not seeking a World War.”
This apparent change in Putin’s stance on international peacekeeping is indeed perplexing. Just three days prior, Andrey Vladmirovich, Russia’s ambassador to the UK, had outrightly rejected the notion of British forces being deployed to Ukraine following a ceasefire.
In addition, Trump expressed optimism that the US and Ukraine would soon reach an agreement concerning a contentious deal involving rare earth minerals. This came after he engaged with fellow G7 leaders in a virtual meeting.
The US is seeking to secure a 50% share of all revenues from Ukraine’s mineral and natural resources, which officials describe as repayment for past military assistance.
This proposal for access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals was initially presented to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier in February.
However, Zelenskyy rejected the initial offer, stating, “I can’t sell Ukraine.” He also turned down Washington’s demand for around $500 billion (€477 billion) in mineral resources, arguing that the US had not provided that level of military or financial support and had not offered specific security guarantees.
Ahead of discussions with Macron, Trump did not confirm whether the new agreement would include American security assurances. “Europe will ensure that nothing goes awry,” he remarked.
Trump’s decision to send senior aides for preliminary discussions with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia without Ukrainian or European representatives present sparked widespread concern across Europe.
Trump brushed aside Zelenskyy’s concerns regarding Ukraine and Europe’s exclusion from the talks, implying that he had been negotiating without leverage and was growing weary of the situation.
Meanwhile, the United States was unable to secure support from the UN General Assembly for a resolution calling for an end to the conflict, notably without attributing blame to Moscow for its aggressive actions.
European allies have rallied around Zelenskyy, anxious about what seems to be Trump’s shifting stance toward Moscow and the potential for peace negotiations to occur without direct Ukrainian involvement, thus potentially favoring Russia.
Macron emphasized Europe’s readiness to take on a stronger role to ensure the continent’s defense, voicing concerns that Trump’s security priorities may be misaligned.
“I hold deep respect for the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people. We share a common goal of peace. However, we recognize the importance of having solid guarantees to ensure stability,” Macron stated.
“I believe that the US and France have always stood on the same side—what I would consider the right side of history.”
