Talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ended without progress on the Russia–Ukraine war, with critics dismissing the meeting as a political performance aimed at boosting their public image.
Former diplomat Laurie Daly said that while a level of communication between the leaders is positive, the absence of European leaders and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy made the talks more like a demonstration of President Trump’s influence than a serious attempt at peace.
“It was successful in order to maintain his reputation in the international forum,” Mr Daly said.
“Ukraine is a food bowl for the rest of Europe. You can’t keep out the main players and think that you’re going to negotiate a peace treaty. You can’t achieve peace in isolation.”
Despite this, Trump stated in a Facebook post that ‘great progress’ had been made.
Cal Tortolani, a 21-year-old American student at Colgate University, said he expected any productive summit to result in a solution.
“He is delusional for saying the meeting went well when no solution was made,” Mr Tortolani said.
“Trump is continuing to fail to deliver a promise that he told the American people, that he would end the war on his first day in office.”
Mr Daly said Trump’s push to present himself as a global deal-maker was tied to his personal ambitions.
“He loves the idea that he would get the Nobel Peace Prize,” Mr Daly said.
President Trump has previously stated, through social media, that he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the conflicts between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, Russia and Ukraine, and his efforts in Israel and Iran.
“He clearly has an overinflated ego and sense of importance of himself and what he can achieve”, Mr Daly said.
“He was panicking that the Times Man of the Year was going to be Zelensky rather than Donald Trump on the cover.”
Mr Tortolani said that the meeting might temporarily bring peace to the region, the summit with Putin appeared to be a strategic way to promote President Trump’s image.
“He frames himself as a master negotiator,” Mr Tortolani said.
“It would be hard for me to call him a peacemaker ever.”
Attention now turns to the upcoming meeting between President Zelenskyy and his European allies at the White House to see if meaningful progress towards the Russia–Ukraine conflict can be achieved.
