After another call with Putin, it looks like Trump has abandoned efforts to mediate peace in Ukraine

By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

After a two-hour phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on May 19, US president Donald Trump took to social media to declare that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately start negotiations” towards a ceasefire and an end to the war. He did, however, add that the conditions for peace “will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be”.

With the Vatican, according to Trump, “very interested in hosting the negotiations” and European leaders duly informed, it seems clear that…

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