Ukraine’s leadership is concerned that Odessa may become a bargaining chip in talks between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on ending the war, The New York Times (NYT) has reported. On March 18, the heads of state are scheduled to call to discuss the territorial issue. In particular, what lands and assets would go to Russia in the event of a ceasefire, Trump said. The White House believes Putin would “certainly” keep Crimea and probably get most of the occupied territories – totaling about 20 percent of Ukraine.
However, it is unknown whether Trump will try to limit Putin’s ambitions. In this regard, Kyiv fears that the American leader may grant his other wishes, including about Odessa, the country’s critical port, the NYT wrote, citing aides to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Putin has previously called Odessa a “Russian city,” emphasizing that it could become both “an apple of discord and a symbol of conflict resolution.”
