Intelligence Squared Can Trump Deliver Peace in Ukraine? With Catherine Belton
Aug 28, 2025
Catherine Belton, an international investigative reporter for The Washington Post and author of 'Putin's People', joins the discussion on Trump’s potential role in achieving peace in Ukraine. She delves into Putin’s long-term ambitions and the impact of sanctions on Russia. The conversation highlights the complexities of U.S.-Russia relations, examines Europe's geopolitical challenges, and the implications of autocratic alliances, particularly between Russia, China, and India, shedding light on the future of global stability.
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Episode notes
Summits Were Spectacle Not Solution
- The Alaska and Washington summits produced spectacle but little concrete change on the ground.
- Catherine Belton argues the net result was symbolic theatre rather than a shift in Russia's battlefield posture.
Misreading Russia's Ceasefire Offer
- US interpreters misread Moscow's offer as withdrawal when Russia only offered a halt to fighting.
- Belton warns this misunderstanding would have left Ukraine surrendering fortified positions without true Russian pullback.
Security Guarantees That Are Not Guarantees
- Russia's proposed 'security guarantees' would give it veto power over Ukraine's defense decisions.
- Belton says this is effectively placing the aggressor inside Ukraine's security architecture.
