How Trump's ultimatum to Putin could become a major problem for Zelenskyi

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• Donald Trump's ultimatum demanding peace from Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine war expires today.
• Instead, Trump and Putin have agreed to meet next week, probably in the United Arab Emirates.
• These are now Ukraine's three priorities.
• This is what Trump has allegedly offered Putin.
• "Positive energy": Russian propaganda is optimistic.
• A Danish military expert sees a fundamental mistake in the West, senses a stalling tactic and describes a scenario in which Kiev loses out.

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The ultimatum that Donald Trump has given Vladimir Putin ends today, Friday. If the Kremlin shows no willingness to make peace, secondary sanctions will hit buyers of Russian energy products.

India has already received a 25 percent tariff surcharge from Washington because, according to Trump, it buys cheap Russian oil in order to place it on the free market at a large profit. New Delhi is said to have purchased oil worth 52.7 billion dollars from Moscow in 2024. Only China was even higher at 62.5 billion.

However, it seems doubtful that these secondary sanctions will actually be imposed. After US special envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow two days ago, Trump brought a meeting with Vladimir Putin into play yesterday.

The summit is due to take place next week - probably in the United Arab Emirates.

Meeting instead of ultimatum

So does Trump's ultimatum to Putin still stand? "That's up to him," said the 79-year-old yesterday. "We'll see what he has to say." He adds somewhat cryptically: "Very disappointed."

But: Trump is prepared to sit down with Putin without Volodymyr Selenskyj. "They want to meet with me," the US president emphasized, according to the British Telegraph. Moscow agrees that it is still "a long way" from creating the "certain conditions" for Putin to meet with Zelensky personally.

"Ukraine is now very scared", headlines "Bild": The German paper claims to have heard from politicians there that they are worried about safeguarding their country's interests.

This is allegedly Trump's offer to Putin

Volodymyr Zelenskyj is therefore in urgent consultation with the White House, but also with his European partners. "The priorities are absolutely clear," explains the 47-year-old.

The Polish news portal "Onet" reports that Witkoff has made Moscow a "very pleasing proposal" that has been agreed with the Europeans.

"The reaction from Moscow? "The US has made a proposal that the Russian side considers acceptable," the Telegraph quotes Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov as saying.

"On our terms, of course"

"A lot has changed after Steve Witkoff's visit," journalist Sergei Strokan is pleased to report in "60 Minut" on the Russian state broadcaster "Rossija 1". It is not yet clear whether the new, "positive energy" will lead to anything, but at least Moscow is no longer forced to choose categorically between a ceasefire and sanctions.

This is because Trump has "learned from his mistakes". "All of us trust and hope," says presenter Olga Skabeeva. "Many are tired and want an end to military action. On our terms, of course."

Could there be a compromise? Anders Puck Nielsen has his doubts: If Putin were concerned with territory in eastern Ukraine, it would be possible, explains the Danish military expert. "But that's not what this war is about. In the end, the war is about the sovereignty and political control of the whole of Ukraine."

"The meeting is just another way to delay things"

With this premise, peace is impossible: since Trump took office, the Kremlin has only used talks to appease the US president with regard to sanctions against Moscow and arms deliveries to Kiev, according to the veteran.

"They are not interested in achieving results. The meeting is just another way to delay things," said Nielsen. Putin will offer Trump something that satisfies him and that Kiev will have to reject. This could lead to the USA accusing Ukraine of torpedoing peace.

As an example, he cites a suspension of air strikes as a first step. This would protect Ukrainian cities, but also prevent drone attacks on Russian production facilities, which have recently caused major damage. That would sound good to Trump, but it would be a problem for Kiev. A no vote would have consequences for Selensky.