Trump Has a Lot to Offer, Even Without a Ukraine Deal
President Trump says he is focused on stopping the “death march” in Ukraine “as soon as possible.” But for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, cease-fire talks with Mr. Trump are a means to much broader ends. Russian and American officials met in Saudi Arabia on Monday to deepen their negotiations about technical details of a partial cease-fire to halt attacks on energy facilities and on ships in the Black Sea. While Ukraine says it’s ready for a full truce, Mr. Putin has made it clear that he will seek a wide range of concessions first. The upshot: The Kremlin appears determined to squeeze as many benefits as possible from Mr. Trump’s desire for a Ukraine peace deal, even as it slow-walks the negotiations. Viewed from Moscow, better ties with Washington are an economic and geopolitical boon — one that may be […]
