In the latest twist in the long and brutal war in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump has once again injected himself into the peace process ~ this time, after a twohour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Emerging from the conversation, Mr Trump struck a notably optimistic tone, declaring that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately” begin negotiating a ceasefire. But beneath the headline-grabbing optimism lies a far murkier reality. Mr Trump’s public stance has shifted repeatedly. From grandstanding claims of ending the war in “24 hours” to now acknowledging that peace terms must be negotiated directly between Russia and Ukraine, his latest position seems more like a diplomatic hedge than a strategy.

His openness to involving the Pope in talks appears less a serious proposal than a symbolic gesture ~ one that underscores the lack of concrete direction. It’s a far cry from actionable diplomacy.........

© The Statesman