SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
President Trump says he'll meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska next Friday. Trump is pushing to end the war in Ukraine and suggested a peace deal could include land swaps between the two countries. But is President Putin truly prepared to make any kind of deal? We're joined now by Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at The New School in New York City. Thanks so much for being with us.
NINA KHRUSHCHEVA: Good morning.
SIMON: Is Vladimir Putin just going through the motions, or does he want to end the war?
KHRUSHCHEVA: He wants to end the war. He wants to end the war on his terms, and so far, meeting with Trump is part of his terms. So potentially, next Friday, if it does happen - if the meeting does happen, we don't know - then it could get closer to ending the war. Of course, there is another side, which is Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and it's unclear whether he can agree to any terms Trump and Putin can make.
SIMON: Ukraine is not represented at all. What do you make of that?
KHRUSHCHEVA: Well, it wasn't - it was obvious that it wouldn't be at the first meeting because the first meeting is at least figure out whether they can get together and agree on something. Also, it's important that for Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is really not an important actor in this. Yes, there is a war with his country, but it's not his weapons. It's not his money. It's not his intelligence. So as far as Putin is concerned, he's going to meet with those who provide all the help that then Zelenskyy fights with.
SIMON: How do you think Vladimir Putin will approach the meeting?
KHRUSHCHEVA: I don't know. I mean, I think it's a shocking moment for all of us that it's in Alaska, which is American territory. Yes, it's very close to Russia. It used to be Russia in 18 - until 1867. So it seems like Putin is just going to be Trump's guest. And in the meantime, while he's a guest, they're going to discuss Ukraine and other potentially - even more importantly for Putin and Trump - some lucrative deals that they're going to make economically. But he's going to be firm, calm and very reserved, I believe.
SIMON: It sounds like you think he has the upper hand in this relationship.
KHRUSHCHEVA: It looks like it today, although I'm not sure that the whole week is going to get as calmly as Putin may want because, first of all, Trump is unpredictable. He can make - he can change his mind. He's going to be pressured for not doing this, not giving Putin the upper hand. So we still have to live until Friday and see whether the meeting indeed happens.
SIMON: What kind of deal do you think Vladimir Putin would be open to making, and would it be remotely acceptable to Ukraine?
KHRUSHCHEVA: I don't know. We know that the deal is that Putin wants the whole of Donetsk region, which was originally the beginning of this conflict in 2014. But Ukraine still has 25% of that territory. So will Ukraine be willing to get out of this territory and just basically give it to Putin without him invading it? For that, Putin may get out of other parts - of smaller parts that Russia now invaded. But that's still not an equal deal for Ukraine at all. So it probably will take a lot of goodwill on behalf - for Zelenskyy to agree on that. But it does seem that Ukrainian public now does want some sort of a deal. They, of course, don't want to give up territory, but they're really very exhausted by the war. And that could be potentially something that Zelenskyy will have to consider.
SIMON: I have to ask - not to put you on the spot in the minute we have left. You grew up, of course, in the family of a noted Soviet leader. If somebody from President Trump's office called you and said, what advice do you have for us doing business with Vladimir Putin? What might you say?
KHRUSHCHEVA: Oh, I don't know. I mean, Trump is such a not political figure in anyway. I mean, he's a business leader. He's a reality TV show man. I think Alaska, whoever came up with this, was a brilliant person. I think that the fact that he actually is willing to talk to Putin is a good thing because the less you talk, the less diplomacy is done, the worse. And I think that's what I would have advised - and Joe Biden, as well - is that don't ruin diplomacy. Keep diplomatic channels open. That may lead to some conclusions.
SIMON: Yeah. Does the United States have any cards in this meeting?
KHRUSHCHEVA: No, I don't think so. I think it's very difficult to pressure Putin. And I think the only card Trump may have is that he would say, Vladimir, friend, I really love you. I need that Nobel Peace Prize. Please help me.
SIMON: Nina Khrushcheva of The New School in New York City, thank you very much for joining us.
KHRUSHCHEVA: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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