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The Guardian view on Russia-Ukraine talks: a performance for the US president | Editorial

Europe and Kyiv are showing increasing deftness and coordination, but Mr Trump is an unfriendly audienceThe first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine for three years should have been a momentous occasion. Since 2022, Russian war crimes have only deepened the chasm between them. Yet Donald Trump, who demanded this meeting, underlined that it was largely a charade when he told reporters: “Nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.” It made plain that Russia felt no pressure to cooperate.While difficult negotiations often begin on easier terrain, the agreement of a mass prisoner swap looked like a discrete achievement. The real significance of the Istanbul talks lay less in their substance than the messages sent by their existence and attendance list. Continue reading...

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