Peace without trust

The recent diplomatic flurry ~ marked by talks in Moscow between US envoys and Russia, followed by a three-day session in Florida between US and Ukrainian negotiators ~ was meant to build momentum toward peace.

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Instead, it has laid bare a fundamental truth: you cannot negotiate peace while bombs keep falling, and you cannot negotiate an outcome when one side has already declared its unwillingness to compromise.

On paper, the Miami discussions suggested a path forward. Ukrainian and American officials emerged saying they had discussed “security arrangements” and frameworks for reconstruction ~ a serious signal that Kyiv is willing to plan for a future beyond bullets and burned cities. Indeed, President Volodymer Zelenskyy affirmed his commitment to continued talks.