Ukraine war: Trump’s desire to end conflict clashes with Putin’s strategy of delay and muddle

CNN
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Over the past two months, the United States has been talking with both Ukraine and Russia – separately – to try to fulfill one of President Donald Trump’s main campaign promises: ending the war in Ukraine. Trump repeatedly touted that he would end the war within 24 hours of taking office if elected president on the campaign trail, but nearly two months on there is no sign of a real breakthrough.

Trump has walked back from his pledge – first extending the self-imposed deadline to six months, then saying he was being “a little bit sarcastic” about the 24-hour timeframe.

More recently the president said in an interview with Newsmax that Moscow could be