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Putin feels that he is starting a conversation with Trump from a position of strength. He will be interested in US proposals, but Trump must make them first.
This is reported by The Times.
Over the past few years, Russia has put forward a number of conditions for ending the war in Ukraine. Most of these were rejected by the Biden administration as ultimatums rather than good faith attempts at negotiation.
In an ultimatum issued in July, Putin demanded that Ukraine withdraw troops from four regions partially occupied by Russia. He also called on the West to cancel all sanctions against the Russian Federation. Trump signaled during his presidential campaign that he was willing to consider the demand, saying that sanctions "must be used very judiciously" to protect the dollar's power in the global economy. When asked if he had been in contact with Putin in recent years, Trump declined to answer. But he said it would be "wise" for the US president to talk to the Russians.
What Putin hopes to gain from such negotiations is no secret. Judging by his statements in recent years, he wants to make Ukraine powerless militarily, cut off all paths to NATO membership, and gain permanent control over its southern and eastern regions. Neither Trump nor his closest advisers have declared their readiness to meet these demands.
Given the diversity of views in Trump's orbit and the lack of a strategy to end the war in Ukraine, Russians will likely wait and watch to see what the Republican administration will do on this issue. They are in no hurry to conclude an agreement, given the recent successes on the battlefield, especially in the east of Donbas.
"There is no pressure on him (Trump - ed.) to negotiate. If Trump decides he wants to make a deal with Putin, the Russians will be interested. I'm sure they have many options they can offer. But they won't respond until the US decides what it wants to offer. In other words, it is Trump who should make the first move," the publication quoted a former high-ranking American official who maintains high-level contacts in both Washington and Moscow.
