America and Ukraine prepare for brutal negotiations

To get a deal in Jeddah Ukraine must first make peace with Donald Trump

FOR TEN DAYS, since the shouting-match in the Oval Office, Ukraine has been scorched by Donald Trump’s wrath. Now comes a moment of catharsis—or another round of brutal punishment. On March 11th America and Ukrainian delegations are due to meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The American side says the goal is to create “a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire”. Yet on the Ukrainian side, amid the hope, there are fears the meeting could be a shake-down, a delaying tactic or an attempt by Mr Trump to win concessions that benefit Russia. The summit comes as Russia is escalating its military pressure on Ukraine. Drone and missile strikes are hammering Kyiv and other cities. Russian and North Korean soldiers are making a new push to eject Ukraine from the small part of the Kursk region inside Russia that it occupies.

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