Trump already knows the fools in Europe and U will try to interfere with the negotiations because they have already opened their mouths. Rather than give Trump options they try tell him what to do and how to do it their way.
Trump knows they started this war and has a good idea how to end it. They told Putin he had to limit his oil and Natural gas sales and he told them where to shove it.
My guess is that Trump has some way for them to be able to sell their oil and natural gas in a way that does not feed their military machine. He has already hinted with an MFN flag. I suspect he has other options that they would be fools to pass up.
Similarly, I suspect, he has things in mind that U wants and needs as well. Security for one so they can begin to recover, and some means to recover safely (without US Troops just as Trump said). He knows they wish to be the breadbasket again. I suspect he has options for them they would be fools to pass up as well
Will Russian oil and natural gas flow through U to the Europeans at a high volume again? I doubt it at least for a few years. After all, there are consequences for stupidity especially when folks clearly have not understood the lesson as is in this case.
If the standard positions would have worked they would have worked already. Biden would have already claimed credit for ending the war. And that would be that as they say.
Instead, Biden gave Trump a Vietnam. Now the question is whether Trump can stop this "Vietnam" from going for another four years into another Administration.
Fortunately, Trump is not your typical administration. After all, not only he did write "The Art of the Deal". But IMHO holds Trump cards at the ready and according to his name.
Z-Man has no choice. If he concedes too much, his own Nationalists will put his head on a pike.
The Nationalists have no choice, either. Ukraine has been repeatedly raped, for over a century. Their choice is to let that happen again, or fight, regardless of the odds.
I’d fight.
Wimps’ mileage may vary.