Trump plans to negotiate with Putin - commentary by Oleksiy Haran

In a significant shift, US President Donald Trump has announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a potential resolution to the war in Ukraine. Trump emphasized that both Russia and Ukraine want an end to the conflict, underscoring his intention to take a hands-on approach to negotiations. The former US president has consistently stated that the war would not have started if he were still in office, making his comments a noteworthy development.

Russian President Putin has responded positively, expressing Russia's openness to talks with the US on broader issues. He also praised Trump for being "pragmatic" in his approach to diplomacy. However, Putin took the opportunity to criticise Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for rejecting negotiations back in 2022. Zelenskyy, in turn, has reiterated that any peace agreement must include Kyiv and has expressed doubts about Putin's genuine willingness to end the war.

While discussing these events on Indian television NewsX World, Olexiy Haran, Professor at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Research Advisor of the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation  entered into a discussion with a Russian propagandist.