Ukraine forced to play theatrics to win US aid

Since US-brokered talks began in March, Ukraine's strategy has been to convince the Trump administration that Russian President Vladimir Putin is unreliable and that Kyiv is serious about peace.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has few options, analysts and officials say, but to draw US President Donald Trump's ire against Putin, while depending on Europe's united and stalwart support.

In the latest round, Zelenskyy not only accepted Putin's offer to hold talks in Turkey, after the US backed the idea, but raised the stakes and challenged him to a face-to-face. The gesture failed to move Putin and the Istanbul talks were demoted to a technical meeting that failed to yield substantial results.

The US has expressed frustration with the stalled talks and threatened to withdraw if results aren't achieved.

"He and I will meet, and I think we'll solve it," Trump said. "And if we don't solve it, it'll be very interesting."

All along, Zelenskyy's message, to the Trump administration, has been: Puting cannot be trusted.

It's a rhetorical game of pingpong in which both Kyiv and Moscow try to outmanoeuvre the other vis-à-vis the US. But the political theatrics are underscored by stark realities on the ground. In this war of attrition, Ukraine's position is poised to grow weaker with time, unless powerful sanctions are imposed against Moscow and the US continues arms deliveries.