Commentators dissect the initial phase of the brand-new peace talks on Ukraine

We’re already seeing some substantive responses to Trump’s negotiations with Russia over Ukraine. The reports below give some perspective on the various challenges that a peace deal will face. Whether Trump is capable of delivering anything more substantive than a chance for him to brag for a few days after an agreement about what a Peace President he is, remains to be seen.

One of the participants in the following discussion is the Director of Chatham House, Brownen Maddox. (1) Matt Frei of Channel 4 News says in the segment:

"I think what we know what Trump wants at the end of this, which is the Nobel Peace Prize. I think he does actually want that. And he wants to be able to go down in history as the guy who forged some kind of peace. But we also know from the way that he conducted talks with Kim Jong-un of North Korea the first time he was in power, he's great at the photo op. And then the follow-up, not so much."

To which Maddox adds, "I think that's right. The best joke in this Munich Security Conference at the weekend - not full of jokes - was from Radik Sikorski, the Polish [Foreign] Minister [and Anne Applebaum's husband] saying, 'We Europeans do control the Nobel Peace Prize'."

This Deutsche Welle segment has various panelists discussing some of practical questions for a settlement, particularly the idea of European peacekeeping troops. (2) In theory, anything is possible. But if Russia insists on keeping Ukraine out of NATO, why would they agree to peacekeepers from NATO countries where they would be closely cooperating militarily with Ukrainian forces on the ground in Ukraine?

Trigger warning!! Includes a positive discussion about the need for Germany to rapidly build up its military capacity. (If that doesn’t make your stomach a bit queasy, maybe you should read up a bit on 20th century European history.)

Nicole Frölich in this Deutsche Welle report discusses Trump’s recently expressed notion of how Ukraine started the war. (3) It includes a Ukrainian advocate who provides a reminder that Ukraine does have a role to play that neither Trump nor Putin controls:

Timothy Snyder seems to think there is no reasonable alternative for the Western powers other than backing Ukraine to continue the current war indefinitely. (4) But he’s very knowledgeable on Ukraine and he’s followed the events of the war closely, so he’s definitely worth hearing.

This one was nails on the blackboard to me. (Is that metaphor still comprehensive these days?) It’s Morning Joe in neocon/resistance-liberal Russia-Russia-Russia mode. (5) Joe does a riff on the theme that every treaty the US has ever made with the Soviet Union or Russia was a mistake and how the moment we make a peace agreement over Ukraine Russia will seize Poland. He’s been sniffing the Munich Analogy glue again, I’m afraid.

Notes:

(1) Ukraine peace talks: what do Russia and US really want? Channel 4 News (British) YouTube channel 02/18/2025. <https://youtu.be/bYwF_dmL4Bw?si=w5VF_toUR5J61AXi> (Accessed: 2025-19-02).

(2) Trump's Ukraine plan: Peace on Moscow's terms? DW News Desk 02/19/2026. <https://www.youtube.com/live/2yA_K3Xv3WM?si=UVVCl_Uwd8eU8Bed> (Accessed: 2025-19-02).

(3) 'You should've never started it' Trump lashes out at Zelenskyy in Ukraine remarks. DW News YouTube channel 02/19/2025. <https://youtu.be/iBFDAQ9zTPU?si=j9h8157KgPgJDP1N> (Accessed: 2025-19-02).

(4) 'It's morally disgusting': Trump torched for saying Ukraine 'should have never started' Putin's war. MSNBC YouTube channel 02/19/2025. <https://youtu.be/oB8wLbXfHNo?si=9X7E_yk-EP5jHpnP> (Accessed: 2025-19-02).

(5) 'Factually wrong and insulting': David Ignatius slams Trump's remarks about Ukraine. MSNBC YouTube channel 02/19/2025. <https://youtu.be/quWP_G2y5TI?si=MFqZppCwTZKOFbxk> (Accessed: 2025-19-02).