The next steps of Ukraine – the New York Times

Russia has invaded Ukraine, but you would not know about peace negotiations. At each stage, President Trump prompted the victim to give ground, while the attacker gave little substance.

Yesterday brought the last example. Vice-president JD Vance presented a peace proposal which strongly favors Russia, My colleagues David Sanger, Michael Shear and Mark Landler wrote. Ukraine should abandon the territory that Russia has taken during the war as well as any chance of joining NATO. Vance said that the Trump administration would move away if the two parties did not accept its conditions. The comments clearly targeted the president of Ukraine, Voludymyr Zelensky, who said this week that he would not give way, the Russia region invaded ten years ago.

Trump echoes Vance on social networks. Zelensky “can have peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole country,” said Trump.

It is now a familiar model in the peace process led by the Americans: the administration supervises its terms as requests from Russia and Ukraine, but only Ukraine must abandon something significant.

And if Ukraine refuses, the White House is unleashed. After Trump took office, he demanded that Ukraine renounce his mineral wealth in the United States in exchange for continuous support. After an oval office confrontation between Trump and Zelensky, the United States has cut Ukraine help.

To make amends, Ukraine said that it would accept a cease-fire if Russia did it too. Russia has not done so. However, Trump did not punish Moscow; He rewarded it. He exempted Russia from his so-called reciprocal rates. Last week, the United States voted with Russia on a United Nations resolution on war.

These are unusual circumstances. The United States is ostensibly allied with Ukraine against Russia. Friends generally do not ask for more friends than enemies in peace. Today’s newsletter will explain – with the help of my colleagues who cover diplomacy, security, economics and international affairs – why the Trump administration adopts this approach.

What Trump wants

Trump has two main objectives for Ukraine.

First, he wants to “normalize the relationship with Russia”, ” David Sanger wrote. “If this means rewriting the history of the illegal invasion of Moscow, if it means abandoning surveys on Russian war crimes or refusing to offer security guarantees that would prevent Putin from finishing work in Ukraine later, then Trump, in this evaluation of his intentions, is willing to conclude this agreement.”

Second, Trump wants to force European nations, not the United States, to manage problems in Europe. Trump criticizes NATO allies for spending little money for their soldiers and, in his opinion, in free release on American security guarantees. By suggesting that he will not support Ukraine – or NATO – much longer, Trump tells Europe that it should counter Russia alone.

On both goals, Trump can claim some successes. The United States and Russia have discussed the restoration of the Embassy staff. And Russia and Ukraine have pointed out, for the first time, that they are open to direct peace talks. Meanwhile, European leaders have promised to spend more on their soldiers and weapons, including Ukraine. “The new emphasis on the production of weapons is proof of a broader generational change in Europe”, ” Lara Jakes and Bernhard Warner wrote.

However, these victories are limited. The war in Ukraine persists. The fighting continued during Easter Despite a truce. American relations with Russia remain tense; Even American companies that have once benefited from Russian affairs are skeptical as to return, Anton Troianovski, Niraj Chokshi and Ivan Nechepurenko reported.

And a more independent Europe may not be good for America. Continent leaders could, for example, use their independence to reconcile in China. Earlier this month, the Spanish Prime Minister met with the Chinese president to strengthen trade ties with Beijing, Liz alderman wrote. To say: Trump’s movements might not work as he hoped.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is suffering from it. So far this year, he has lost more territory than he has won.

In relation: At least nine people died Russian air strikes on KyivSaid Ukraine.

Look carefully at this image of Pope Francis transported to lie in the state. You can see continuity in the Vatican: the guards always wear the colors of the Medici family, 420 years after the last Medici Pope. You can also see the change: Francis specified a single united coffin, rather than the three coffins nested with past popes. See the picture closely.

Opinion

The databases of the members of alleged gangs are An effective tool that the left should take care of,, Rafael Mangal writing.

Trump’s military actions in Yemen lead the United States A new war forever and divert the attention of China, WJ Hennigan writing.

The White House wants more babies. This week, I wrote a story about how the Trump administration assesses the proposals he hopes Bring more people to procreateincluding a payment of $ 5,000 for new mothers. Activists and politics experts have warned of the American birth rate for years – and now they have allies in the White House.

My room launched A lively discussion And was the best -selling story on Monday. A reader with a 2 -year -old child noted the prohibitive cost of daycare.

“We want another child, but we cannot afford it because full -time daycare costs almost $ 20,000 per year per child (if you are lucky to find one with open places),” writes the reader. “A baby bonus of $ 5,000 or an education on menstrual cycles will not change that.”

The daycare is a problem that divides many pro-family conservative voices from those on the left. Instead of funding childcare programs – some have been reduced by Doge – many conservatives push policies that facilitate respect for a parent, saying that children do the best when they spend more time with their family and less time with paying caregivers.

Another reader said he thought that the idea of ​​”baby bonus” could present an opportunity for bipartite:

“Giving mothers more money is an idea to the right and on the left could probably late,” wrote the reader.

Democrats are impatient to help families, especially with an widened children’s tax credit. But they could be delicate on the idea of ​​”baby bonus”, which is associated with a “pronatalist” conservative movement to counter the falling birth rates.

I cover these problems as part of a new beat in the Times. There is a lot to talk about, and I love to hear readers. You can reach me to caroline.kitchener@nytimes.com.

Online trend yesterday: Target and Best Buy Websites have crashed Under the rush of people trying to pre -order a Nintendo Switch 2, reports the New York Post.

Q’s social: “My fiancé wants a contract After decided that we did not need it. Help!”

Lived life: After being appointed editor-in-chief of the village voice in 1994, Karen Durbin carried out a fervent campaign to attract young readers, partly by often inclining an incendiary coverage of feminism, homosexual rights and avant-garde culture. She died at 80.

SPORTY

NFL: The annual draft of the league begins tonight, with An accent on the quarters.

NBA: The Warriors came across the Rockets, 109-94, and lost their star Jimmy Butler to a pelvic injury in the process.

Soccer: The former coach of the American national male team Bruce Arena criticized the current coachMauricio Pocsettino, suggesting that the hiring of a non-American for the role was a mistake.

Arts and ideas

Mexico is in the middle of a battle on Narcocorridos, a style of song that celebrates drug cartels. Gender artists have become international stars. But the law turns against them. During the last month, several cities and states criminalized music by playing music that glorifies the drug trade, and the US government revoked the visas of members of a group that displayed the face of a cartel leader on stage. Learn more about repression.

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