{
  "id": 16286181,
  "title": "Dmytro Kuleba on Trump’s drift towards Moscow",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/dmytro-kuleba-on-trumps-drift-towards-moscow",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-24T05:00:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Al Majalla English",
    "slug": "al-majalla-english",
    "url": "https://en.majalla.com/node/333744/politics/dmytro-kuleba-trump%E2%80%99s-drift-towards-moscow"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly five years into Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba sees no end to the conflict in sight. Once Ukraine's foreign minister (2020-24), he has been guiding Kyiv's diplomacy for over two years of the war, primarily during US President Joe Biden's tenure. As a senior fellow at Harvard's Belfer Centre, Kuleba believes the war is no longer merely about territory, but about Russian President Vladimir Putin's belief that ending the war poses greater risks than continuing it.\n\nKuleba asserts that a ceasefire would be short-lived, as he envisions Ukraine's victory as independence and the opportunity to align with Europe rather than Russia. He doubts Donald Trump's pledge to end the war within 24 hours was sincere and expresses concerns over Trump's shifting focus towards Moscow, even inviting Putin to Alaska.\n\nKuleba is unemotional about the broader geopolitical landscape, suggesting China may benefit from Russia's prolonged presence in Ukraine, making it weaker and more reliant. He sees potential in China acting as a mediator, but remains skeptical about sanctions alone ending the war. NATO membership remains a consideration for Ukraine, given Kyiv's search for a robust security guarantee.\n\nRegarding Gulf countries, Kuleba anticipates limited involvement from capitals like Saudi Arabia, which he attributes to their ties with Moscow. Even Riyadh's drone-defense discussions with Kyiv following the Iran war were, according to Kuleba, \"a spike, not a strategy\".\n\nAfter more than four years of warfare, Kuleba emphasizes Russia's President Putin has strategically placed his nation on a war path, leading to prolonged confrontations. Ukraine must brace for a long-term battle and adapt to evolving circumstances. Even if a ceasefire is achieved, Kuleba doubts its longevity, warning it will likely be broken quickly. He envisions Ukraine's ultimate victory as maintaining independence, sovereignty, and its European aspirations.\n\nKuleba critiques the Gulf nations' cautious approach, viewing their limited engagement as a reaction to their Moscow connections. He emphasizes the necessity for Ukraine's taxpayers to accept the war's prolonged nature, as President Putin drives the conflict agenda. While acknowledging some support for Ukraine wanes among taxpayers in supporting countries, Kuleba notes polls still indicate strong backing.\n\nPresident Trump's recent attempt to broker peace via a 20-point framework has faced criticism, with Kuleba attributing any perceived failure to Trump's drift towards Moscow and undermining Ukraine's defenses. He remains unconvinced that the war will conclude, preferring to focus on policy decisions that weaken Ukraine and bolster Russia. Kuleba commends Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky for his steadfast wartime leadership and diplomatic approach, emphasizing the importance of open disagreement to defend crucial positions.",
  "summary": "Dmytro Kuleba on Trump’s drift towards Moscow newspress_en Sat, 10/24/2026 - 06:00 Politics Nearly five years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba sees no end in sight. Ukraine’s former foreign minister (2020-24), he steered Kyiv’s diplomacy for more than two years of the war, mainly during US President Joe Biden’s administration. Now a senior fellow at Harvard’s Belfer…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}