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The political isolation of Vladimir Putin has partially eased following his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, and the Russian dictator will undoubtedly use this for propaganda purposes.
Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said this in comments to Ukrinform.
“After dictator Putin’s phone call with U.S. President Trump, several major international media outlets started publishing narratives suggesting Russia is winning the war. However, I am absolutely certain that Putin has not won and will not win. What has happened is a small but positive shift for him — until now, he was politically isolated, and the call with the U.S. president gives him a slight break from that isolation,” Merezhko said.
He believes that Putin “will undoubtedly use this and some of Trump’s statements primarily for propaganda purposes.”
Merezhko stated that this partial easing of Putin’s isolation “will not significantly affect the overall situation.”
“Putin is trying to create the illusion that he is open to negotiations and peace, but this is nothing more than empty rhetoric. I hope Trump understands who he is dealing with and the danger involved. Right now, we are witnessing a political game. But soon enough, Putin will reveal his true nature and prove that he is simply not capable of making agreements. Once this becomes clear, Trump will have no choice but to continue supporting Ukraine — and even strengthen that support,” Merezhko added.
On February 12, Trump spoke with Putin by phone, reportedly discussing Ukraine, among other topics.
On February 18, U.S. and Russian delegations met in Saudi Arabia for negotiations. The American delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Representing Russia were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, and the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev.
On February 19, Trump made new statements about the need for elections in Ukraine.
