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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
On one side are Rubio and Kellogg trying to have greater influence on President Trump, especially regarding relations with Putin, while on the other side stands Witkoff.
A silent power struggle is brewing in the White House! How tough should US President Donald Trump be on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin? As discussions take place behind closed doors, two camps are emerging among Trump's closest advisers.
As the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports, senior administration officials are urging Trump to take a tougher stance against Moscow. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg see no genuine desire for peace on Putin's part and are positioning themselves against overconfidence in the Kremlin.
The advice given to Trump is: no concessions to Russia as long as Moscow continues to claim Ukrainian territory and does not stop the attacks.
But Trump currently seems to be listening more to his envoy Steve Witkoff, who has already spoken to Putin personally twice in Moscow and is convinced that the Russian dictator wants peace. Witkoff appeared moved by Putin's dialogues and repeated Russian propaganda, causing consternation in Kiev and EU capitals.
Because the facts speak a different language: Russia has ignored a ceasefire demanded by Trump and is dragging out negotiations. Instead, the Kremlin is using the time to gain further military advantages — presumably in the hope of forcing greater concessions at the negotiating table.
A brutal Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy that killed 34 civilians and wounded more than 100 people on Sunday has further heightened tensions at the White House. While Trump called the massacre a "mistake" and blamed Joe Biden, Rubio and Kellogg found clearer words: Rubio called the attack "cruel and tragic," while Kellogg spoke of a "violation of all decency."
Trump himself has also criticized Putin, saying the Russian president was "primarily responsible" for the war, but he has also blamed his predecessor Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Trump has not yet implemented any concrete measures, such as new sanctions against Russian oil exports.
According to the WSJ, there are intense debates in the White House about whether to strengthen sanctions against Russia in order to force Putin into real negotiations. /Adapted from Pamphlet/
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