Putin has little reason to negotiate on Ukraine, AP reports
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Russian President Vladimir Putin is closer than ever to achieving his goals in Ukraine, giving him little incentive to negotiate, Western experts told the Associated Press (AP) in a report published on Feb. 8.
Despite external pressures—including from former U.S. President Donald Trump—Putin has "few motivations" to sit down for peace talks, according to analysts interviewed by AP.
Trump’s initial approach toward Putin has included calling him “smart” and threatening Russia with tariffs and lower oil prices. However, experts say the Kremlin is unlikely to take these threats seriously.
"For some reason, there’s this idea in the West that Putin wants a deal and an end to the war. That’s not true," one Russian expert told AP.
The report also highlights that Putin is unlikely to make concessions and would seize any opportunity to "punish the West, undermine its alliances, and weaken its security by forcing Kyiv into neutrality."
Former NATO official warns of U.S. weakness
Former NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told AP that a settlement favoring Moscow would signal American weakness.
Recalling the last meeting between Trump and Putin in Helsinki in 2018, former Finnish President Sauli Niinistönoted that the two had a "mutual respect" at the time. However, he emphasized that Trump and Putin are fundamentally different leaders, describing Putin as a "systemic thinker" and Trump as a businessman who makes "quick decisions."
Russian analyst Boris Bondarev told AP that Putin sees negotiations as "a tool to get whatever he wants" and expressed frustration that Western leaders still fail to grasp the Kremlin’s strategy.
"Putin would likely welcome any meeting with Trump because it boosts Russia’s international standing and gives him more leverage in negotiations," AP wrote.
Potential Trump-Putin negotiations on Ukraine
On Jan. 22, Trump called on Putin via Truth Social to "make a deal," claiming that Russia’s economy is "collapsing"and will only get worse.
"If we don’t make a deal soon, I will have no choice but to impose high tariffs, duties, and sanctions on everything Russia sells to the United States and other affected countries," Trump wrote.
He also stated that he expects negotiations with Putin in the near future and is ready to meet with him anytime.
On Jan. 27, the Kremlin said it had not yet received any signals from the United States regarding potential Trump-Putin talks.
On Feb. 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Trump "still doesn’t have a plan" to end the war in Ukraine.
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