Putin outwits Zelenskyy

[Nefertiti]

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Unfolding chess.

Putin declared 3-days unilateral ceasefire.
Zelenskyy called it a joke and proposed 30-day ceasefire.
Putin countered there must be talks in Istanbul first.
Zelenskyy accepted to attend and insisted Putin must attend in person.
Putin send special envoy - Zelenskyy was already on venue -

what Zelenskyy missed - the trick was in the venue not Putin's attendance - because 2022 Istanbul truce was unilaterally broken by Ukraine at UK's prodding. Russia has dusted 2022 truce document - which has full agenda of Ukraine must be neutral non-NATO member. Russia only "conceded" that Ukraine can join EU.

Putin has Trump in the back pocket - Zelenskyy has EU. Trump is now saying Putin skipped because Trump was busy in the Gulf. 

'Nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together'

[Nefertiti]

Looks widening rift between US and EU.

UK and Europe target Russia with major sanctions after Putin-Trump call
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/20/sanctions-russia-uk-europe-putin-trump-call

[Nefertiti]

According to a report on the Axios website, European leaders – including the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Finland and the European Commission – who joined a subsequent call with Zelenskyy were “surprised” by Trump’s depiction of his conversation with Putin. It reported that according to its sources “Trump seemed relatively content with what he heard from Putin, and presented it as a new development, even though the Russian leader did not seem to have changed his position at all.”

Putin has Trump firmly in his corner. Zelenskyy equally has the EU.