Trump's erratic approach keeps peace in Ukraine distant, says former UK ambassador
Former UK ambassador Nigel Gould-Davies argues that peace in Ukraine is held back by Russia's unwillingness to end the war and by US President Donald Trump's inconsistent policy. Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" on Sunday without informing either Kyiv or Moscow.
US President Donald Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" in the war between Russia and Ukraine on Sunday via his Truth Social platform, apparently without consulting either side. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was news to him but added that Ukraine was ready to accept such a deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by striking Ukrainian power plants. The episode shows why an end to the war still looks distant, and how one experienced diplomat reads the situation.
Why talks are going nowhere
Nigel Gould-Davies is a former UK ambassador to Belarus and is now senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He explains that a peace deal is only possible when both sides believe ending the fighting serves their interests better than continuing it. In his view, Russia has no such interest. Ukraine has repeatedly said it would accept an unconditional ceasefire, while Russia has publicly said it is not interested in one, seeking instead an end to the war that would give it dominance over a severely weakened Ukraine.
He argues that since Trump returned to the presidency, the talks have not been real negotiations but parallel efforts by both sides to convince the White House that the other is to blame.
Trump's stance
Gould-Davies says Trump's natural tendency is to favour Russia, citing restrictions on US weapons supplies and earlier pauses in intelligence sharing. On Wednesday Zelenskyy accused Trump of restricting Ukrainian access to "military-grade" Starlink services. Trump has at times sided with Ukraine, for example by sanctioning Russian oil companies. This week he announced a plan to import Russian diesel in the hope of lowering fuel prices in the US, which dismayed European leaders and a bipartisan group of US senators.
European countries are trying to influence Washington. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham hosted Zelenskyy at Downing Street on Wednesday and said Britain was doubling down on its support for Ukraine.
