U.S. Treads Carefully in Trump-Led Ceasefire Talks with Putin
Former CIA officer Dan Hoffman is urging the U.S. to be extremely cautious as Donald Trump pushes for ceasefire talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. His advice? “Mistrust and verify.”
With top U.S. officials heading to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Russian representatives, the big question is: How will the Trump administration convince Moscow to extend a ceasefire in Ukraine?
Russia’s Temporary Pause on Strikes
Putin recently agreed to hold off on attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, including the massive Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant the largest in Europe. The next step for U.S. negotiators, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, is to secure a ceasefire in the Black Sea.
Russia has made similar agreements before, like the Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2022, which aimed to keep Ukraine’s agricultural exports flowing and stabilize global prices. But Putin backed out of that deal in 2023, raising doubts about whether he’ll stick to any new promises.
Ukraine’s Nuclear Power in the Spotlight
One unexpected topic on the negotiating table? Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. With Trump’s previous focus on a mineral deal with Ukraine fading, he’s now shifting gears to the country’s energy infrastructure. In a joint statement, Rubio and Waltz suggested that U.S. “ownership” of Ukraine’s power plants would be the best way to protect them from further Russian attacks.
Will Putin Play Along?
Not everyone thinks this plan will go smoothly. Former intelligence officer Rebekah Koffler believes Putin won’t take kindly to the idea of American control over Ukraine’s energy supply. In fact, she predicts Russia will actively try to block any such deal.
“Putin is almost certainly not on board with this and will attempt to sabotage it,” Koffler said. She also doubts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would agree to such an arrangement especially considering that the Zaporizhzhia plant is currently under Russian control.
And if someone tries to take it back by force? Koffler warns Russia will fight “to the bitter end.”
With tensions high and trust low, it remains to be seen whether Trump’s ceasefire talks will lead to real progress or just another round of political maneuvering.
Trump Eyes Ukraine’s Nuclear Facilities While US Pushes Peace with Russia
