What lies beyond the rhetoric?
In a cordial but not chatty phone call on March 18, Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed the fate of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Ukraine and Russia. The US commander-in-chief has persuaded Moscow’s strongman that working toward a ceasefire and eventually a lasting peace in Ukraine is his best option. Trump’s intent is unambiguous, as he declared in a Truth Social post: “Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed. Each week brings 2,500 soldier deaths, from both sides, and it must end NOW.”
Despite the initial optimism following the call, until agreements are finalized, the ceasefire process remains very much in flux. Russia launched a series of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine just hours later, striking civilian targets, suggesting that…
