Are We Any Closer To Peace In Ukraine?

Donald Trump is making a lot of noise recently about negotiating a peace between Ukraine and Russia. He held a "summit" with Putin in Alaska. Then he met with Zelensky and European leaders in the White House. Was anything accomplished?

Very little, if anything at all. Instead of a serious negotiator, Trump came off looking more like a ping-pong ball being knocked back and forth by opposing factions (agreeing with each in their turn).

Trump was heard telling Macron of France that he believes Putin really wants peace. Obviously, Trump is delusional. Putin is the one who refuses to sit down and negotiate. He thinks he's winning.

Trump now says the next step is for Zelensky and Putin to meet. That won't happen, because they have nothing they can agree on. Zelensky is trying to protect his country's independence and democracy. Putin wants to re-establish the old Soviet Union, and that requires he conquer Ukraine.

Nothing will happen until Putin believes he might actually lose in Ukraine. Unfortunately, that won't happen unless Trump puts some serious military and economic pressure on him - something he is still unwilling to do.

The last couple of weeks has been just political theater with no substance at all. The media has loved it and made a big deal out of it, but it hasn't moved the peace process any further along.

We need more than vacuous headlines and proclamations. But with Trump taking the lead there is little chance of that. He views Putin as his friend - not the enemy of the free world. Until that changes, no progress will be made toward peace.