US Oval Office, Now a Russian Fighting Position Used to Ambush Ukraine

It's not 3D Chess... it's desperation.

This is my final post about the US ambush of Zelensky. I will post, if necessary, about “gratitude.” But no more about Trump, by name. I always try to only call him “the president”. I detest having to write about this idiot. I detest having to use his name. No more. This week I will post about Ukraine’s Delta Battlespace Management system. No more about the man-child.

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US Oval Office, Now a Russian Fighting Position Used to Ambush Ukraine.

Donald Trump and his team have repeatedly claimed they can bring peace to Ukraine—first within 24 hours of being elected, then 24 hours after inauguration, then within 100 days, and now within six months. Each revision signals an underlying problem: Trump’s confidence in his ability to negotiate peace does not align with reality. His rhetoric, once a political asset, is now exposing a fundamental weakness.

Should he have said “Slava Ukrani” or “Thank you USA”???

Trump’s team met with Russian officials, expecting to lay the groundwork for a deal. Instead, they encountered Putin’s unwavering maximalist demands: Ukraine must surrender, and the West must retreat. There was no room for negotiation, no backchannel diplomacy, no off-ramps. Putin is keeping Trump "on hold," using the illusion of potential peace to stall and manipulate. While Trump postures as a dealmaker, Russia is playing a different game—one that Trump does not control.

Frustrated and unable to influence Putin, Trump and his team pivot to pressuring Ukraine instead. They ambush President Zelensky, hoping to strong-arm him into concessions that would align with Russia’s demands. This maneuver serves two purposes: first, it provides Trump and his team with an "out"—allowing them to shift blame onto Zelensky for the inevitable failure of their so-called peace deal. This is reinforced by Senator Lindsey Graham’s immediate rush to the microphones to support this narrative following the Oval Office ambush. Second, it increases pressure on Ukraine to yield to Russia’s demands. However, Ukraine, having fought for its survival for years, will not capitulate. The optics of this strategy are disastrous—not just for Trump, but for the United States.

The world watches closely. Instead of projecting strength, the U.S. appears desperate and ineffective. Ukraine remains resolute, Russia remains aggressive, and Trump’s much-touted negotiating prowess is revealed as empty bluster. Instead of resolving the war, he has showcased America’s diminished credibility. His failure to move Putin exposes him as weak, and his attempts to impose Russia’s will on Ukraine backfire spectacularly. In the end, the only power suffering a public humiliation is not Ukraine, nor even Russia, but the United States itself.

Benjamin Cook continues to travel to, often lives in, and works in Ukraine, a connection spanning more than 14 years. He holds an MA in International Security and Conflict Studies from Dublin City University and has consulted with journalists on AI in drones, U.S. military technology, and related topics. He is co-founder of the nonprofit UAO, working in southern Ukraine. You can find Mr. Cook between Odesa, Ukraine; Charleston, South Carolina; and Tucson, Arizona. Mr. Cook’s Substack: https://researchingukraine.substack.com/