Trump Staff Disagree on Trusting Moscow – WSJ
<b>Russia maintains that Ukraine is the side that stands in the way of a peace deal</b> US President Donald Trump’s senior advisers are divided on the question of whether Moscow genuinely seeks a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict,...
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Russia maintains that Ukraine is the side that stands in the way of a peace deal
US President Donald Trump’s senior advisers are divided on the question of whether Moscow genuinely seeks a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Monday, citing anonymous sources.
A faction led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg is advocating for increased skepticism regarding Russia's intentions. In contrast, Trump aligns himself with diplomatic aide Steve Witkoff, who reportedly holds a more trusting view of Moscow. Last week, Witkoff met with President Vladimir Putin, following previous discussions in March.
Moscow asserts that it has consistently aimed to achieve its key objectives in the conflict through diplomatic means, while Kyiv and its Western allies support strategies for escalation. The Russian government has also stated that it will not accept a temporary cessation of hostilities, warning that such a freeze could lead to renewed conflicts later. They cite Ukraine’s infractions of a US-proposed moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure as evidence of Kyiv’s unreliability.
In an instance highlighting Trump's support for Witkoff, the WSJ referred to a missile strike on the city of Sumy, where Kyiv alleged that Moscow purposely targeted civilians, resulting in 34 deaths. Trump described the event as a “mistake,” whereas Rubio’s State Department condemned it as “horrifying,” with Kellogg stating it crossed “any line of decency.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that the missiles were directed at “another meeting of Ukrainian military leaders with their Western colleagues” who were disguising themselves as mercenaries. The Defense Ministry suggested that the strike resulted in approximately 60 military fatalities, claiming that Kyiv utilized civilians as human shields during the meeting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked to CBS News on Sunday that Trump’s critiques of his leadership signal that “Russian narratives are winning in the US.”
Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev expressed concern about American susceptibility to foreign lobbying following a meeting with top US officials earlier this month, alleging that Western media are engaged in a coordinated effort to sabotage the normalization of relations.
“We see attempts to misinterpret Russian messages, mischaracterize Russia and its leaders. This happens every day,” he stated, adding that “direct dialogue is the best way to defeat this disinformation.”
In a Fox News interview on Monday, Witkoff described his nearly five-hour conversation with Putin as “compelling” and suggested that the Ukraine peace process is “on the verge” of a breakthrough.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
US President Donald Trump’s senior advisers are divided on the question of whether Moscow genuinely seeks a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Monday, citing anonymous sources.
A faction led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg is advocating for increased skepticism regarding Russia's intentions. In contrast, Trump aligns himself with diplomatic aide Steve Witkoff, who reportedly holds a more trusting view of Moscow. Last week, Witkoff met with President Vladimir Putin, following previous discussions in March.
Moscow asserts that it has consistently aimed to achieve its key objectives in the conflict through diplomatic means, while Kyiv and its Western allies support strategies for escalation. The Russian government has also stated that it will not accept a temporary cessation of hostilities, warning that such a freeze could lead to renewed conflicts later. They cite Ukraine’s infractions of a US-proposed moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure as evidence of Kyiv’s unreliability.
In an instance highlighting Trump's support for Witkoff, the WSJ referred to a missile strike on the city of Sumy, where Kyiv alleged that Moscow purposely targeted civilians, resulting in 34 deaths. Trump described the event as a “mistake,” whereas Rubio’s State Department condemned it as “horrifying,” with Kellogg stating it crossed “any line of decency.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that the missiles were directed at “another meeting of Ukrainian military leaders with their Western colleagues” who were disguising themselves as mercenaries. The Defense Ministry suggested that the strike resulted in approximately 60 military fatalities, claiming that Kyiv utilized civilians as human shields during the meeting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked to CBS News on Sunday that Trump’s critiques of his leadership signal that “Russian narratives are winning in the US.”
Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev expressed concern about American susceptibility to foreign lobbying following a meeting with top US officials earlier this month, alleging that Western media are engaged in a coordinated effort to sabotage the normalization of relations.
“We see attempts to misinterpret Russian messages, mischaracterize Russia and its leaders. This happens every day,” he stated, adding that “direct dialogue is the best way to defeat this disinformation.”
In a Fox News interview on Monday, Witkoff described his nearly five-hour conversation with Putin as “compelling” and suggested that the Ukraine peace process is “on the verge” of a breakthrough.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
