Zelensky seeks to reactivate peace talks taking advantage of Trump being stuck in Iran

WashingtonThis time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky does have "cards" to play the game. Or at least to make his American counterpart, Donald Trump, take an interest again in the almost forgotten war in Ukraine. With the conflict in Iran stalled, the Ukrainian leader has reminded the Republican that he can revive the peace process he initiated last year to end the Russian invasion. "We talked about diplomacy; it is important that the process be reactivated," Zelensky said in a statement on X about the closed-door meeting he had with Trump this Tuesday at the White House.

Amidst the incursion into Venezuela and the military campaign in the Middle East, the peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow initiated by the United States had been gathering dust on a shelf in the Oval Office. Trump and Zelensky can help each other if the process is reactivated, as it would grant them some political credit with their respective constituencies. The tycoon would have some breathing room amidst the diplomatic fiasco with Tehran, and the Ukrainian could show that he has regained American attention.

The US shift towards Ukraine has also been noted with the prospect that Trump's diplomatic tandem, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will travel to Kyiv in the next two weeks. The plans of the special envoy and the tycoon's son-in-law were first announced by the far-right "influencer", Laura Loomer. In her post on X, Loomer claims she was the one who had suggested to Witkoff and Kushner that they visit the country at war. The information was later also published by the Financial Times.

Loomer is one of the most influential figures in the MAGA world and has direct access to Trump. Last year, she caused the dismissal of the then National Security Advisor, Michael Waltz, following the Signalgate scandal. Until now, she had been against the US sending military aid to Kyiv, but the tone has changed following the recent outreach from the Ukrainian government. In recent weeks, Loomer traveled to Ukraine at the invitation of Zelensky himself, who granted her an interview.

Loomer's approach also comes shortly after Republican Senator Lindsey Graham died abruptly on July 11. Graham was one of the few allies Ukraine still had within Trump circles. Zelensky traveled to Washington this Tuesday to also attend the politician's funeral.

During the last few months, Ukraine's ability to resist Russian attacks thanks to its drones has exceeded previous expectations and has left Zelensky in a stronger position in Trump's eyes. An image that was already reinforced by the unexpected turn of events when Washington knocked on Zelensky's door asking him for help to fight Iranian Shahed drones. For four years, Ukraine has been resisting the deadly waves of Shaheds that Russia has been sending. Ukrainian military personnel have become experts in fighting the cheap drones Iran uses and have developed unique intelligence that the Pentagon is now using.

Trump's approach to Zelensky was already seen in early July in Turkey, where the two presidents met within the framework of the NATO summit. It was then that the Republican announced that he would give permission for Ukrainians to manufacture Patriots, the only long-range system capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. During today's meeting, the issue also reappeared on the table, especially after Moscow intensified its air attacks against Ukrainian cities. Ukrainian air defense systems have suffered over the past year from Russian attacks and have become one of Zelenski's main requests.

The thaw in relations between Zelensky and Trump does not seem to affect Vice President J.D. Vance. The Republican, who was the one who initiated the scolding last February in the Oval Office, has chosen to avoid the meeting at the White House. Vance does not appear in the photo of the encounter and, instead, he is in the one they took today during the meeting with Netanyahu.