Trump’s best bet to cool the Ukraine war and cut – Latest News
If President Donald Trump actually needs a cease-fire in Ukraine, he’ll stress Elon Musk to let Kyiv use his Starlink system over Russian territory.
Under the present settlement, Ukraine can use the system — which supplies indispensable web entry through satellites — solely in Ukrainian territory.
Kyiv needs permission to use it not less than 125 miles over the border; Musk has been hesitant, saying he doesn’t need his company chargeable for serving to escalate the war.
Trump ought to set him straight: Starlink will be the key to de-escalation.
Improved steerage over Russia for Ukrainian assault and reconnaissance drones would increase Kyiv’s potential to hit Vladimir Putin’s missile launchers and key infrastructure — and push the Russian strongman to the desk sooner than anything.
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Kyiv’s already had great success in placing Russia’s oil amenities; letting Putin know that it’s about to get higher, curbing the petro-sales that convey him important income, is simply the sort of stress that may pressure him to make a deal.
In UN remarks Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky harassed that Ukraine’s final goal will not be Russian oil amenities however Putin’s potential to finance and “drag out the war”: Starlink can shorten the war.
Trump may also use his new powers beneath the Lindsey Graham sanctions law to slap international locations that buy Russian power or help Moscow skirt sanctions.
All this stress can persuade Putin to agree to not less than an “energy cease-fire” earlier than winter hits, avoiding struggling for each international locations.
“This winter could be very hard for us, but in response we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia, too,” if Putin “continues to target our energy system and our heating,” warned Zelensky.
Plumes of smoke rise from fires at an oil refinery following what authorities say was a Ukrainian drone strike on September 20, 2026, in Moscow, Russia. REUTERS
We get it: With midterm elections approaching, Trump is frightened about oil costs, significantly diesel, so he doesn’t need Russian oil websites focused.
But the best manner to settle the markets is tightening the screws on Putin to get him to OK a mutual halt to energy-facility strikes.
The risk of strikes (and Graham sanctions) could also be ample; Ukraine received’t need to truly use Starlink to hit these amenities if Putin goes for an power truce.
Even merely proscribing the battle can help pave the manner to a broader cease-fire, maybe main, lastly, to an finish of the war.
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As Zelensky notes, the battle is taking a monstrous toll, significantly on Russia: In simply the first eight months this 12 months, 248,000 Russian troopers have died, he says, to win beneath 400 sq. miles of territory — “a significant part” of which Ukraine has since retaken.
This winter, civilian casualties (on each side) may likewise show horrific, absent an power cease-fire.
Yet Putin received’t budge until he feels it best serves his pursuits.
Starlink and secondary sanctions can imply the distinction.
The ball’s in Trump’s court docket.
