According to Weber, there has been little movement in the negotiations recently. The postponement of the talks shows a certain frustration on the part of the Ukrainians, which is only exacerbated by bilateral talks between the Russians and Americans. The US administration under Donald Trump is showing great interest in ending the conflict quickly, but the circumstances of a peace agreement are of little importance. This is one reason why the talks between Russia and the US have recently been described as “very constructive,” Weber continued. Donald Trump simply does not care which side pays the price for peace – currently, it is the weaker Ukraine.
The bilateral talks also indicated that Russia has little interest in direct negotiations with Kyiv. Weber fears that the US could use its influence on Ukraine to push it toward peace.
Putin's promise not to continue shelling Kiev's energy infrastructure for a week was merely a PR maneuver. Although Kiev was given a brief respite, other cities in Ukraine continued to be shelled. Weber also emphasized that once the deadline expired, Kiev would likely become the target of Russian missile attacks again.