Putin’s peace test: Engage Zelensky or escalate the war
Dangerous Game Nearing Checkmate. As the clock ticks towards President Donald Trump’s ceasefire deadline, a dangerous political game is nearing its end. On one side stands Vladimir Putin, the long-serving Russian president, whose war in Ukraine has pushed global stability to the brink.
On the other hand, the United States, now led by a reinvigorated Trump, who has made it clear that if Russia does not take concrete steps towards ending the “horrible war”, it will face devastating economic retaliation, not just from Washington, but through a global domino of secondary sanctions.
This is no bluff. The world is watching.
And Putin, a man known for testing the resolve of Western leaders, must now reckon with a US president whose methods may be erratic but whose threats often carry teeth.
The recent three-hour meeting between Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy and Putin has been called “constructive”. But goodwill alone is not progress.
Words are not peace. Signals are not ceasefires.
It is time for Putin to walk the talk. No more strategic ambiguity.
No more hiding behind claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is illegitimate.
The cost of pride, propaganda, and posturing has become unbearable, not just for Ukraine, but for Russia and the world. If Putin truly seeks to preserve Russia’s global relevance and economic lifelines, he must pivot now.
The “Constructive talks”
The Kremlin’s labelling of the Witkoff-Putin talks as “constructive” offers a glimmer of hope, but optimism must be tempered with realism.
Foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov noted that both parties exchanged “signals” on the “Ukrainian question”.
These vague descriptions are reminiscent of earlier attempts at diplomacy that went nowhere.
At this point in the war, the time for signals has long passed. Constructive ambiguity has become destructive.
What is needed now is commitment on paper in actions, and on the battlefield.
The United States’ message under Trump is unambiguous: Either end the war or face isolation through economic warfare, not just by direct sanctions but by choking Russia’s ties with other global trading partners.
If Putin wants to protect Russia’s economy, maintain its geopolitical alliances and rebuild trust with its neighbours, then these “constructive” talks must lead to a decisive ceasefire, not next year, not next month, but now.
Trump’s sanctions threat
Trump’s warning isn’t merely rhetorical. Under his administration, the United States is poised to reassert economic pressure on an unprecedented scale.
While President Biden’s administration used targeted sanctions and diplomatic coalitions, Trump is threatening something broader and more brutal: secondary sanctions.
This move would penalise any country or entity that continues trading with Russia, potentially cutting them off from the US financial system.
Such a measure would force countries, especially in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, to make a painful choice: continue engaging with Russia or protect access to Western markets and banks.
China, India and several African nations that have kept ties with Russia will not want to be caught in this economic crossfire.
Putin, too, must see the writing on the wall.
These threats may have a polarising tone, but they are rooted in leverage that Washington has historically wielded with brutal effectiveness.
The Iranian sanctions regime is a case in point.
In short, Trump is building a trap, and if Putin doesn’t pivot towards peace, he may find himself isolated beyond repair.
Why engaging zelensky is the only path forward
One of the most persistent and diplomatically destructive moves in Putin’s strategy has been his refusal to recognise Volodymyr Zelensky as the legitimate leader of Ukraine.
This rejection is not only factually baseless; Zelensky was democratically elected in 2019 with over 73 per cent of the vote, but also strategically suicidal for any genuine pursuit of peace.
International diplomacy hinges on mutual recognition.
You cannot negotiate peace while denying the existence of the person across the table.
To argue that Zelensky is illegitimate is to argue that 40 million Ukrainians have no voice. It’s an insult to their sovereignty and an obstacle to meaningful dialogue.
Moreover, this position undermines Russia’s standing in the world. Refusing to engage with Zelensky does not delegitimise Ukraine; it delegitimises Russia’s diplomatic posture. Countries such as France, Germany, Turkey and China have all, at various points, engaged Zelensky and his government as the rightful representatives of Ukraine.
Russia must fall in line or fall out of the conversation.
Engagement is not surrender. It is a strategy. For Putin, recognising Zelensky would open doors to diplomacy, allow Russia to shape the terms of peace and even help rehabilitate its tarnished international image.
Continuing to vilify him only hardens the conflict and justifies Ukraine’s refusal to back down.
The Human and economic cost of war
More than 500,000 people, civilians and soldiers, have died since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Cities have been reduced to rubble.
Families have been torn apart. And while Russia may boast territorial gains in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk, those victories have come at the price of sanctions, international condemnation and severe economic strain.
Russia’s GDP has shrunk. Its currency has weakened.
Skilled workers and tech professionals have fled the country.
The war has not united the Russian people; it has fractured their future.
Meanwhile, Ukraine, despite immense suffering, has become more resilient and integrated into Western systems, both militarily, economically, and diplomatically.
Putin must ask himself: what has truly been gained?
The war has isolated Russia, rather than strengthening it.
Ending it, through sincere diplomatic engagement, could allow for a reset, a difficult but necessary return to international norms and cooperative coexistence.
Walking the talk
To move beyond hollow rhetoric and toward meaningful resolution, Putin must take several urgent steps:
Declare a unilateral ceasefire as a confidence-building measure.
This would show goodwill and help de-escalate tensions, especially if monitored by neutral international observers.
Recognise Zelensky as Ukraine’s legitimate president, acknowledging the need to deal with the reality of Ukraine’s leadership if any peace deal is to be reached.
Reopen high-level negotiations with Ukraine, mediated by credible international actors such as the UN, China or Turkey.
Allow humanitarian corridors and reconstruction efforts in conflict-ravaged areas, signalling a shift from occupation to cooperation.
Commit to a phased withdrawal of Russian troops, contingent on security guarantees and political commitments from both sides.
Only by taking these steps can Putin avoid the full weight of Trump’s sanctions, restore Russia’s global credibility, and give future generations of Russians a chance to thrive without the burden of an endless, avoidable war.
Conclusion
Vladimir Putin still has a choice.
He can continue down the path of isolation, defiance and destruction, or he can choose diplomacy, dialogue and de-escalation.
The meeting with Steve Witkoff was a small step. But unless it leads to bold, concrete action, history will record it as yet another missed opportunity.
Trump’s deadline looms, and with it, the threat of economic devastation unlike anything Russia has faced in recent memory. But the greater threat is not Trump.
It is the erosion of Russia’s standing, its economy and its hope for the future.
Now is the time for Putin to walk the talk.
Now is the time to engage Zelensky. Now is the time to end the war, not with more blood, but with bold diplomacy.
If Putin misses this moment, it may never return.
The Writer is a member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), the Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ) and the African Journalism Education Network (AJEN). Contact: achmondsky@gmail.com
