A decision to negotiate over the heads of the Ukrainians would reveal just how Trump sees Ukraine and Europe.
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Thats why the US is talking directly with them and not Ukraine, of course; denying the material reality of the conflict is just prolonging it and needlessly killing more proles on the Ukraine side while we sabre rattle around and act like Ukraine ever had a chance in this conflict.
The US is talking to Russia because the president is a verifiable Russian asset.