The Politics Of Peace

Trump faces the limits of his approach to Russia

“I was just making dick jokes on stage when they made me president”

Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you POTUS. — Volodymyrr Zelenskyy, 26 April 2025, via X

Contrary to the delighted speculations of MAGA, the president of Ukraine seems to regard Saturday morning’s impromptu conversation with Donald Trump as a productive one. Zelenskyy’s hands appear active in imagery of their meeting. Trump looks calm and attentive to what his counterpart is saying.

Popes always want peace — well, at least since Pious XI lost his army in the wars of the Italian risorgimento, anyway — so it was fitting that the two of them should discuss peace at the funeral for Pope Francis. Trump, I maintain, genuinely dislikes war, preferring relatively bloodless trade war to literal war. He is however unable to protect the Ukrainian people or deliver a full and unconditional ceasefire for Ukraine. Contrary to the hope for peace expressed in his tweet, Zelenskyy knows damn well that Trump cannot deliver. He is counting on failure to alter Trump’s direction.