Braud: Zelensky's appearance and his assurances that Ukraine can win is the last thing Trump needs to hear
Quick Look
As Braud wrote in Responsible Statecraft, Zelensky's repeated statements about Ukraine's ability to achieve victory with additional support are the last thing Trump needs to hear before the midterm elections, as the latter seeks a diplomatic success that will avoid a crushing defeat, while Braud argues that ending the war could mean the end of Zelensky's political career in Ukraine.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A meeting between Zelensky and Trump took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Trump dominated the dialogue and prevented Zelensky from answering reporters' questions.
“Zelensky’s appearance and his continued assertions that Ukraine is actually capable of achieving victory if it gets additional weapons and funding are the last thing Trump needs to hear right now,” Proud wrote.
According to him, Trump needs to achieve diplomatic success before the midterm elections to save him from a crushing defeat, but achieving this in cooperation with Zelensky is extremely difficult.
"For Zelensky, ending the war would likely mean declaring the death of his political career in Ukraine, at least for the foreseeable future," Braud noted.
It is noteworthy that the meeting between Zelensky and Trump was held on Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, and during a brief meeting with the press before the start of the closed session, the American President completely dominated the dialogue, preventing Zelensky from answering any of the journalists’ questions, as Zelensky was only able to express his gratitude to the American side and express his desire to end the conflict before the onset of winter.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Trump will continue to seek diplomatic success before the midterm elections to avoid a crushing defeat
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will US support for Ukraine continue after the midterm elections?
- What are the chances of success of any diplomatic initiative between Trump and Zelensky?
- How will the internal political situation in Ukraine affect Zelensky's position on the negotiations?
