Putin-Trump phone сall: Tug of war and something else

The upcoming phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, scheduled for March 18, is eagerly anticipated worldwide. Their previous conversation took place on February 12, after which diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict intensified. The US also dropped its accusations of Russian "aggression" against Ukraine, acknowledging Moscow's security concerns.

Photo: flickr.com by The White House, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump

No Major Breakthrough Expected

According to US officials, the main topics of discussion will include territorial issues, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and a proposed 30-day ceasefire.

"Trump was radiating optimism in all of his statements yesterday," Oleg Barabanov, a Russian historian and political analyst noted in a comment to Pravda.Ru. He believes that some key positions have already been agreed upon, making it unlikely that the conversation will end without results.

"It's hard to predict the outcome, but it's clear that some mutually acceptable compromise will be reached. The key question is whether Putin will accept Trump's proposal: first a ceasefire, and only then negotiations on everything else," Barabanov added.

However, political analyst Semyon Boykov is skeptical that a ceasefire agreement will be reached at this stage.

"Russia is trying to convey to the US that we need a political resolution first, followed by a ceasefire. But Washington insists on first achieving a ceasefire before discussing political solutions. This approach does not suit us, and we will continue to push our position," Boykov told Pravda.Ru.

US-Russia Relations May Take Priority Over Ukraine

Experts suggest that the talks will not be limited to the Ukraine conflict but will focus more on strengthening US-Russia relations. Potential areas of agreement include extending the New START treaty, negotiating a new security agreement, and lifting sanctions from Russia.

In a recent article for Foreign Affairs, Monica Toft, a professor of international politics at Tufts University, compared the current geopolitical landscape to the aftermath of World War II, when major powers redrew the world map at the Yalta Conference.

According to Toft, Putin wants territorial expansion, and so does Trump - suffice it to recall what he said in relation to Greenland, Panama, and Canada.

"In their view, this is what they must do to make their countries great again," she concluded.