How not to end a war

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised to end Russia’s war against Ukraine very quickly. In fact, he repeatedly said he’d end it within 24 hours of taking office.

I doubt many people believed him. Perhaps some took him seriously, but only fools could have taken him literally.

Trump does seem serious about ending the war, but he has failed to make serious headway. The problem, in my view, is that he’s going about it the wrong way. I also believe he’s going about it the wrong way because he has other, conflicting priorities that stand in the way of a peace deal.

You need not be an artist of the deal to recognize the path to a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. You need only understand the dynamics of this war.