Recent moves and statements by U. S. President Donald Trump suggest a significant shift in his approach to the conflict in Ukraine. According to Mehmet Seyfettin Erol, head of the Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies (ANKASAM), Trump now aims to shift responsibility for resolving the crisis onto Europe while simultaneously increasing pressure on Russia — potentially through a renewal of U.S.-Russian relations.

Erol argued that by redirecting the focus from Ukraine to Europe, Trump is pursuing a strategy designed to bring Moscow to the negotiating table — or into a peace process — on terms more favorable to Washington, using the prospect of normalized relations as leverage.

The analyst noted that the White House leader is again attempting to organize a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky — and may even be prepared to participate personally. This marks a notable change from his earlier stance, when Trump had largely excluded Zelensky from peace efforts. According to Erol, such a shift shows that the American president is now «raising the stakes» in the diplomatic game.

At present, the initiative for peace talks largely rests with the Kremlin, Erol observed, though this could change as the situation evolves. He emphasized that arranging meaningful negotiations remains an extremely complex task. Washington and Brussels are generally open to reviving dialogue, while Turkey continues to express its readiness to facilitate talks, with Istanbul still considered a viable venue for potential negotiations.