Zelenskyj at Trump | Ukraine War: The ideas are there, the solution is not

Volodymyr Zelenskyy survived his visit to the White House unscathed this time. Unlike in February, the Ukrainian president, this time wearing a jacket, didn't have to face any questions about his attire. The overall atmosphere was also much friendlier than at the last meeting. Zelenskyy assiduously thanked his host, Donald Trump, for the welcome. Eleven times in four and a half minutes, the Washington Post counted. "That was the best of our meetings," the Ukrainian president concluded afterward.

However, it wasn't a breakthrough in the search for a solution to the war in Ukraine , but perhaps a small, important step. The delegation of several European heads of government who accompanied Zelenskyy to back him up didn't change that. The self-portrayal, including that of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, that important announcements for the peace process had been made, doesn't stand up to factual scrutiny.

Trump dictates the next steps

Trump had already made it clear beforehand that neither warring party would fully enforce its demands . The US President then emphasized that the return of Crimea was not up for discussion. Ukraine's accession to NATO was also out of the question, Trump said. This had been a sensitive issue for the Russians even before Vladimir Putin moved into the Kremlin.

In effect, Trump has presented to Ukraine and the Europeans his vision for a conflict resolution (in consultation with the Kremlin). In addition to the territorial issue and NATO membership, this primarily concerns the abandonment of a ceasefire as a prerequisite for negotiations. Trump is thus setting the tone and turning Kyiv and the Europeans into supporting actors, who can only put forward limited demands and try to prevent the worst. This is also suggested by sources in the Kyiv presidential administration, who speak of very difficult talks between Trump and Zelensky, refuting the Ukrainian head of state's euphoria.

Territorial cessions become more concrete

According to Trump, the Europeans have shown considerable understanding that Kyiv will not recapture the Russian-occupied territories. One possible scenario would be for Ukraine to withdraw from the Donbass. In return, Moscow would leave the Sumy and Kharkiv regions and cease its fire in the Donbass. According to the Wall Street Journal, Zelenskyy did not directly oppose this proposal.

"Ukraine will live again, people won't die everywhere anymore. And it will regain a lot of territory," Trump claimed in an interview with the television channel Fox News. "But it's war, Russia is a powerful military power, whether you like it or not." Earlier, Finnish President Alexander Stubb caused a stir with a historical comparison. His country had to cede territory to the Soviet Union at the end of World War II, but was able to preserve its sovereignty, partly by not turning against the Soviet Union in both domestic and foreign policy. "We found a solution in 1944, and I'm convinced we can find a solution in 2025," Stubb said in Washington.

Left wants blue helmets for Ukraine

The issue of security guarantees for Ukraine remains far from resolved. Zelenskyy had described these as a priority for peace with Russia. "It is very important that the United States send a strong signal and is ready for these security guarantees." Trump did declare that the US would support security guarantees, but he left details open. Regarding the Ukrainians, he only assured them: "We will give them very good protection, very good security." The US President believes the Europeans – namely France, Great Britain, and Germany – have a duty to send troops to Ukraine. Washington itself, however, wants to secure the airspace. Russia has so far categorically rejected NATO troops in Ukraine.

On the ZDF morning show, Left Party leader Jan van Aken called for a broader approach. "Narrowing down to NATO soldiers or NATO security guarantees is not enough," van Aken said. That would only make the war "bigger, not smaller." Instead, he said, consideration should be given to stationing UN peacekeepers in Ukraine. SPD foreign policy expert Rolf Mützenich also called on Deutschlandfunk radio for a shift away from nation-state thinking. Mützenich argued that the United Nations and the OSCE must be involved in a peace solution.

Putin-Zelensky meeting possible soon

Before that, there could be a direct meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, something the Ukrainian has been pushing for for some time. Trump said the two have recently been getting along better than he thought, referring to a possible meeting that could take place within the next two weeks, or at least that's the hope.

A somewhat unexpected yes has already come from Moscow, albeit with conditions. "All contacts involving the heads of state must be prepared with the utmost care," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on state television. According to Ukrainian media, Kyiv also appears to be playing for time. In particular, Presidential Administration Chief Andriy Yermak is said to be hesitating and hoping for Putin's refusal to impose new sanctions and put pressure on Moscow. However, Trump's pressure for direct talks could be greater.