Trump called on Zelensky to make territorial concessions to Russia: will Budapest be the beginning of a new geopolitical game? – Rezazadeh

During a meeting in Washington, US President Donald Trump called on Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to “peace behind the front line” — in fact, to give up part of Ukrainian territories in favor of Russia. The Ukrainian delegation left the meeting “disappointed and alarmed”.

Trump not only refused to provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles, but also hinted at the possibility of “security guarantees” to both Kyiv and Moscow. After the meeting, he publicly called for a “ceasefire along the current line of contact”, and Zelensky, according to sources, was forced to support this call in his comments to journalists.

International expert, first vice president of the Iranian opposition in Washington Ali Reza Rezazade calls this situation “a dangerous signal of a change in the American position”.

“Trump is actually testing the idea of ​​a ‘freezing the war’ that benefits Putin. After a phone call with the Russian dictator, he began to voice rhetoric that resembles the Kremlin’s. His thesis about an ‘agreement on the contact line’ is a diplomatic cover to legalize the occupation,” Rezazade noted.

According to the expert, the attempt to impose territorial concessions on Ukraine is part of Trump’s broader game — to create an “American peace plan” that will allow him to act as an arbitrator between Kyiv and Moscow before meeting with Putin in Budapest.

“Trump wants to show that he can end the war faster than Biden. But if this ‘peace’ means the surrender of Ukrainian territories, it will become a dangerous precedent for the whole world. Putin will only become stronger if he receives a reward for aggression,” Rezazade emphasized.

During the meeting, the American delegation, including Special Representative Steve Witkoff, actively promoted the Russian proposal for a territory swap: Ukraine would give up Donbas and receive part of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in return. Experts called it “geopolitical suicide,” since control over the remnants of Donbas is of strategic importance for the defense of the rest of the country.

Rezazade believes that attempts to “sell” Ukraine such deals only play into the Kremlin’s hands:

“Any negotiations that do not involve the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty are a trap. Putin always uses a ceasefire to regroup forces. And if the West agrees to the “front line as the border of peace,” it will be a de facto new Munich — but for the 21st century.”

The meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest is currently expected to take place in the coming weeks. According to the expert, this event will show whether Washington will be able to maintain a balance between the desire for peace and the protection of the principles of international law.

"Peace is not a trade in territories. If the US follows this path and allows Russia to keep what it has gained by force, the world will receive a new wave of aggression - not only from Moscow," concluded Ali Reza Rezazade.