BLUF: NATO Negotiations

Volodymyr Zelensky’s return to the White House this week – set against President Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday – highlighted a deliberate effort by the Administration to showcase stronger support for Ukraine while signaling toughness with Russia.

Zelensky arrived in Washington notably in business attire  and with a noticeably more diplomatic tone than in February. But while everyone was talking about his clothes, we noticed that the contrast with Putin’s reception could not have been starker: one leader welcomed into the seat of American power, the home of the President, alongside NATO partners, the other greeted on a windy runway by U.S. bombers, fighter jets, and troops. The message was clear—America is standing with Ukraine while putting Russia on notice.

This shift tracks with U.S. public opinion. Where voters once pressed for peace talks, polling now shows growing support for providing Kyiv with weaponry and tightening sanctions on Moscow. That sentiment matters as Zelensky pushes for formal security guarantees from the U.S. and its allies—promises, he says, could be locked in within 10 days, along with a proposed $90 billion in U.S. weapons purchases.

The choreography of these meetings wasn’t accidental and it should be recognized for exactly what it was. By elevating Zelensky and diminishing Putin, Washington (and to the surprise of some, President Trump) is betting that these meetings and public opinion can be leveraged to keep Ukraine in the fight, and to hopefully shape the terms of any eventual peace deal.

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