How to force Putin to the negotiating table: Podolyak names leverage points
Podolyak urged Trump to increase pressure to break Putin’s resistance.
Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak / © Mykhailo Podolyak / Facebook
This was stated by Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, on his Telegram channel.
According to him, the White House faces a choice: either intensify sanctions and support for Ukraine or abandon negotiations, leaving the Kremlin as the victor.
«It is obvious that Putin is betting on cynical attacks on President Trump’s personal reputation, counting on his willingness to „dialogue with the Russian.“ The brutal missile and drone strikes on Ukraine in recent days are brazenly demonstrative: „Look what I can do!“
Podolyak emphasized that Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement refusing to recognize Ukraine’s sovereignty undermines all efforts of American diplomacy, and the Kremlin is deliberately testing how far the U.S. is willing to act.
He stressed that the U.S. faces a choice — either continue active pressure on Russia or retreat.
«The U.S. President still has a choice. The first option is to back up his words about Putin’s „madness“ with actions: impose new sanctions, push for a complete embargo on trade with Russia, approve new arms supplies, and strengthen Ukrainian air defenses. The second option is to throw up his hands, acknowledge the excessive complexity of the issue, and exit the negotiation process to end the war. The Kremlin is confident that this is exactly what will happen, ” he said.