President Donald Trump completely changes America's relationship with Russia.
Within weeks of assuming a second term, Trump’s administration was in high-level discussions with Russian officials in Riyadh, a sharp divergence from his predecessor Joe Biden’s strategy of isolating Moscow. Ukraine and NATO partners were notably excluded from the meeting, which was a departure from the policies of the previous administration.Trump’s Shift on Ukraine
And Trump himself has faced scrutiny for remarks that echo Kremlin narratives, including his comments — lacking supporting evidence — that Ukraine started the war. He also called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a “dictator without elections” because the Ukrainian vote has been delayed due to martial law there.Critics say that Trump’s eagerness to deal directly with Russia, bypassing Kyiv, would bring about a settlement that undermined Ukraine’s sovereignty and compromised Europe.
“The reality of Trump taking Russia from pariah to prized partner in mere days comes with a price,” said Brett Bruen, a former Obama administration official.
Riyadh Talks: A Changing Face of Diplomacy
During discussions on Tuesday, representatives from the United States and Russia agreed to set up negotiating teams for future meetings and revive diplomatic missions, indicating a thaw in relations. Trump’s foreign policy gang — led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, and envoy Steve Witkoff — is not especially deep in terms of high-level diplomatic experience, something many experts believe puts them at a disadvantage in talks with the experienced Russian diplomats they face.
Timothy Snyder, a historian and Russia expert, raised doubts about the expertise of the American delegation, saying, “The American team has almost no experience in high-level negotiation, no regional expertise on Ukraine and Russia and no relevant foreign language ability.”
Ukraine and Europe Left Out
Trump’s decision to draw Ukraine out of negotiations is a stark shift from the Biden-era mantra of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” Kyiv has fiercely resisted any settlement forced on it without its say.
European leaders are also worried about the U.S. position. Some countries have raised the possibility of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, but Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has dismissed the proposal, saying that NATO troops in Ukraine would be unacceptable to Moscow.
Doubling down on the controversial posture, Trump also excluded NATO membership for Ukraine, saying it would be an “illusion” that Kyiv would besiege up to the 20% of its territory that remains in Russian hands. Critics say this gives Putin a free hand, with little in exchange.
A Divisive Strategy
Trump’s remarks have drawn bipartisan outcry. Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, “Putin is a war criminal.” Of Trump’s claim that Putin desires peace, Wicker said, “Russia will do whatever benefits them in the short term.”
Zelenskiy has voiced concern about Washington’s approach and he called off a planned visit to Saudi Arabia that would have coincided with the talks out of concern they might legitimize the talks. A proposed U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal—reportedly lining up U.S. control of half of Ukraine’s critical resources in return for military aid—has made relations worse, according to reports.
Amid rising alarm, Trump remains sanguine about a solution. He suggested that he could talk to Putin by the end of the month and maintained that Ukraine should have been negotiating for peace long before now.
For now, U.S. allies bristle nervously and fear Trump’s policy shift that could embolden Russia and leave Ukraine and Europe vulnerable. Whether his gamble pays off is yet to be seen.
