Trump and Putin chat about peace or war

Donald Trump wants an end to the killing and an end to the war in Ukraine. Does Putin have an interest in either of these ogbjectives? This is the question behind the telephone call whcih Trump and Putin are having this morning. If Trump gets the feeling that Putin is simply not interested in a peace settlement, then it will be very difficult for Trump and the Trump administration to continue to fight for Ukraine's cause. There have been enough warnings from the White House that Trump is not going to go on for ever putting in the effort to broker a deal. If Putin is sensible, he will give Trump just enough to make it worthwhile for the president to stay interested but no more. I doubt Putin is going to say, "Okay, Donald, for you I'll stop fighting." The first nobjective is to get a 30-day ceasefire and then within that period to start negotiating the framework for ending the war. But this is not going to happen if Putin rebuffs Trump. Trump could then say, leave ot to Europe to sort out the war. But is in no position to back Ukraine for ever against Russia. Putin knows this, of course. So he may think it's in his interest to play the White House v Europe and see what comes of it. In all of this, what Zelensky wants and calls for will be largely ignored.