摘要：VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, Ukraine’s president, on May 11thchallengedVladimir Putin of Russia to meet him in person for peace talks—on co
缓兵之计罢了！(外刊精读)《经济学人》——老谋深算的普京再次成功离间欧美阵营，给和平谈判留下一丝阴影。
1.原文
乌克兰可能举行的和平谈判前夕的不确定性与紧张局势
弗拉基米尔・普京再次成功分化了欧美（阵营）
Vladimir Putin has successfully divided Europe and America—again
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, Ukraine’s president, on May 11th challenged Vladimir Putin of Russia to meet him in person for peace talks—on condition of a ceasefire that Mr Putin has so far refused. “I’ll be waiting for Putin in Turkey on Thursday,” Mr Zelensky wrote on social media. “Personally, I hope the Russians won’t come up with excuses this time.” The move was the latest salvo in an extraordinary back-and-forth involving Ukraine, Russia, Donald Trump and the top leaders of Europe, that is full of uncertainty but still represents the best hope for progress since early in the war.
The dance kicked off with the visit of four European leaders to Kyiv on May 10th. There, Britain’s prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, described Ukraine’s offer of an unconditional 30-day ceasefire—and the challenge to Russia to reciprocate—as bringing peace closer than at any point in the past three years. The aim was to highlight that Russia is the party that still wants war, and to encourage Mr Trump to exert greater pressure on the Kremlin. By the time Mr Putin spoke in a televised address in the early hours of May 11th—bluntly ignoring the ultimatum while offering direct negotiations laden with multiple strings—the moment had lost all clarity. Mr Trump’s social-media response, hailing a “potentially great day”, seemed to undercut the Europeans’ insistence that he had been on board from the start.
1.1 翻译
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乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔・泽连斯基（Volodymyr Zelensky）在 5 月 11 日向俄罗斯的弗拉基米尔・普京发起挑战，要求普京亲自与他进行和平谈判，条件是实现停火，而普京先生到目前为止一直拒绝停火。泽连斯基先生在社交媒体上写道：“我周四会在土耳其等普京。就我个人而言，我希望俄罗斯人这次不要找借口。” 这一举动是乌克兰、俄罗斯、唐纳德・特朗普以及欧洲各国最高领导人之间一系列不同寻常的你来我往中最新的一次行动，这种互动充满不确定性，但仍是自战争初期以来取得进展的最大希望。
这场互动始于 5 月 10 日四位欧洲领导人对基辅的访问。在那里，英国首相基尔・斯塔默爵士称，乌克兰提出的无条件停火 30 天的提议 —— 以及要求俄罗斯做出回应的挑战 —— 使和平比过去三年的任何时候都更接近了。其目的是强调俄罗斯是仍然希望战争的一方，并鼓励特朗普先生对克里姆林宫施加更大压力。到 5 月 11 日凌晨普京发表电视讲话时 —— 直截了当地无视了最后通牒，同时提出了附带诸多条件的直接谈判 —— 局势变得完全不明朗了。特朗普先生在社交媒体上的回应，称赞这是 “潜在的伟大一天”，这似乎削弱了欧洲人坚称的他从一开始就支持的说法。
1.2 重点详解
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challenge：/ˈtʃælɪndʒ/，作动词，常见含义为 “向…… 挑战；对…… 提出质疑；考验” 。在此处是 “向…… 挑战” 的意思，例如：He challenged me to a game of chess.（他向我挑战下一盘国际象棋。）salvo：/ˈsælvəʊ/，作名词，原指 “（炮火）齐射；（炸弹）齐投；（言辞的）猛烈抨击” ，文中取 “（言辞或行动的）一连串” 的意思。比如：The government launched a salvo of new policies.（政府推出了一连串新政策。）back-and-forth：/ˌbæk ən ˈfɔːθ/，作名词短语，意为 “反复；来回；往复；（双方之间的）你来我往” 。例句：There was a lot of back-and-forth between the two sides during the negotiation.（双方在谈判过程中有很多反复的交流。）Kremlin：/ˈkremlɪn/，作名词，本义是 “克里姆林宫（俄罗斯政府的所在地）” ，文中指代 “俄罗斯政府”。例如：The Kremlin has made a statement on this issue.（俄罗斯政府已就这个问题发表了声明。）ultimatum：/ˌʌltɪˈmeɪtəm/，作名词，意思是 “最后通牒； ultimatum to do sth. 表示向某人或某方发出做某事的最后通牒”。例如：The workers gave the employer an ultimatum to raise their wages.（工人们向雇主发出了提高工资的最后通牒。）laden with：固定短语，意为 “充满；满载；附带” ，文中 “laden with multiple strings” 表示谈判附带很多条件。例如：The ship was laden with goods.（这艘船满载货物。）hail：/heɪl/，作动词，常见意思有 “赞扬；称赞；招呼；下冰雹” ，这里是 “赞扬；称赞” 的意思。比如：The new movie was hailed as a masterpiece.（这部新电影被赞誉为杰作。）on board：固定短语，在这里表示 “支持；赞同” 。例如：We need to get everyone on board with this plan.（我们需要让每个人都支持这个计划。）reciprocate：/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪt/，作动词，意思是 “回应； reciprocate (with sth.)； reciprocate sb.'s actions/gesture 表示回应某人的行动 / 姿态” 。例如：I sent her a present and she reciprocated with a card.（我送了她一份礼物，她回赠了一张卡片。）undercut：/ˌʌndəˈkʌt/，作动词，常见含义为 “削弱；降低…… 的重要性；削（价）竞争” 。文中是 “削弱” 的意思，例如：His statement undercut the credibility of the report.（他的声明削弱了那份报告的可信度。）2.原文
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Ukraine’s offer of an unconditional total ceasefire had been a significant compromise. Mr Putin’s counter—proposing peace negotiations in Istanbul on May 15th—is much less so. His foreign-policy adviser, Yury Ushakov, later laid out weighty conditions for the talks. Any negotiation would pick up from negotiations in spring 2022, he said, and “would take account of the real situation” on the battlefield. This is a danger for Ukraine. The earlier talks never resulted in a final deal, but they touched onred lines for Kyiv, including drastic reductions to its armed forces. Going back to the point at which they were broken off might suggest that Mr Zelensky had pointlessly wasted lives.
But Mr Zelensky was left with little choice after Donald Trump took to social media to urge the Ukrainian to “agree to this, IMMEDIATELY.” At least, Mr Trump added, “they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the US will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly.” That might, on an optimistic interpretation, mean that America would get tougher with Mr Putin who, according to Mr Trump “is too busy celebrating the Victory of World War II”. By saying he will attend the talks, Mr Zelensky is hoping to paint Mr Putin as the obstacle to peace, and that Mr Trump will finally come to understand this.
2.1 翻译
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乌克兰提出的无条件全面停火是一项重大妥协。而普京先生的回应 —— 提议于 5 月 15 日在伊斯坦布尔进行和平谈判 —— 则远没有那么有诚意。他的外交政策顾问尤里・乌沙科夫随后提出了进行谈判的苛刻条件。他表示，任何谈判都将从 22 年春季的谈判基础上继续进行，并且 “将考虑” 战场上的 “实际情况” 。这对乌克兰来说是个危险信号。早期的谈判从未达成最终协议，但却触及了基辅方面的红线，包括大幅削减其武装部队。回到谈判中断时的状态，这可能意味着泽连斯基白白牺牲了许多生命。
但在唐纳德・特朗普在社交媒体上敦促乌克兰方面 “立即同意此事” 之后，泽连斯基几乎没有别的选择。特朗普补充称，至少 “他们将能够确定是否有可能达成协议，而且如果不能达成协议，欧洲各国领导人以及美国将会清楚事情的进展，并能够据此采取行动” 。从乐观的角度解读，这或许意味着美国将对普京采取更强硬的态度，按特朗普的说法，普京 “正忙着庆祝二战胜利” 。泽连斯基表示他将参加谈判，希望以此将普京描绘成和平的阻碍，并且希望特朗普最终能明白这一点。
2.2 重点详解
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compromise：/ˈkɒmprəmaɪz/，作名词时意为 “妥协；折衷；互让了结” ，作动词时意为 “妥协；让步；违背（原则）” 。文中是名词用法，例如：We reached a compromise on this issue.（我们在这个问题上达成了妥协。）counter：/ˈkaʊntə(r)/，作名词时意为 “柜台；对立面” ，作动词时意为 “反驳；抵制；抵消” ，作副词时意为 “相反地；对立地” 。文中是动词 “回应；反驳” 的意思，例如：She countered his argument with some very strong evidence.（她用一些非常有力的证据反驳了他的论点。）lay out：固定短语，常见意思有 “展示；安排；阐述；规划” ，文中是 “阐述；提出” 的意思。例如：He laid out his plans for the future.（他阐述了他对未来的计划。）weighty：/ˈweɪti/，形容词，意为 “重大的；重要的；繁重的；沉重的” 。例如：This is a weighty decision.（这是一项重大的决定。）pick up from：短语，在这里表示 “从…… 继续” 。例如：Let's pick up from where we left off last time.（让我们从上次停下的地方接着来。）result in：固定短语，意为 “导致；造成” 。例如：His carelessness resulted in the failure of the project.（他的粗心导致了项目的失败。）touch on：固定短语，意为 “提及；谈及；简略地讨论” 。例如：The report touched on the issue of environmental protection.（这份报告谈及了环境保护问题。）broken off：是 “break off” 的过去分词形式，“break off” 常见意思有 “中断；突然停止；折断” 。文中是 “中断（谈判等）” 的意思。例如：The two countries have broken off diplomatic relations.（这两个国家中断了外交关系。）take to：固定短语，在这里意为 “开始从事；喜欢上；走向（社交媒体等）发表言论” 。文中是 “走向（社交媒体）发表言论” 的意思，例如：He took to the stage to give a speech.（他走上舞台发表演讲。）paint...as：固定短语，意为 “把…… 描绘成；把…… 说成” 。例如：The media painted him as a hero.（媒体把他描绘成一位英雄。）3.原文
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A Ukrainian security official suggested on May 11th that Mr Zelensky would first try to enforce a complete ceasefire—on land, sea and air—from May 12th, as promised. It would then be down to Russia to observe it, or risk Mr Trump’s displeasure by ignoring it. In remarks made before Mr Trump urged him to meet Mr Putin, Mr Zelensky struck a careful tone: it was encouraging that Russia was finally contemplating peace, he said, but “the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.” General Keith Kellogg, Mr Trump’s special representative to Ukraine, appeared to downplay his boss’s ambiguous remarks, posting on social media that a ceasefire must precede any negotiations—“not the other way around”. This may, however, be wishful thinking.
The intensity of the public diplomacy suggests that serious back-channel bargaining is under way—and that the days ahead may indeed prove decisive. Mr Trump clearly remains the centre around which all sides revolve, each tailoring its rhetoric to echo his language and his social-media posts. The trouble for Mr Trump is that Mr Putin is also playing his own game, an equally hard and unyielding one. The challenge the four European leaders made to Mr Trump in Kyiv was for him to take a tougher stance on Mr Putin. Mr Trump has so far declined to do so, instead choosing to dance around the Russian leader.
Uncertain though the next few days seem, the likelihood must remain that there will be no ceasefire (Mr Putin has steadfastly refused even to discuss one, and so far Mr Trump has not pressed him on it); and if there are talks, they are unlikely to produce a resolution any time soon. In other words, the chance of dramatic change seems slender: but at least it exists.
3.1 翻译
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5 月 11 日，一名乌克兰安全官员表示，泽连斯基先生将首先尝试按承诺从 5 月 12 日起在陆、海、空实施全面停火。然后就看俄罗斯是否遵守停火，否则就会冒着惹特朗普先生不悦的风险无视停火。在特朗普敦促他与普京会面之前，泽连斯基的言辞谨慎：他说，俄罗斯终于在考虑和平，这令人鼓舞，但 “真正结束任何战争的第一步是停火” 。特朗普的乌克兰问题特别代表基思・凯洛格将军似乎淡化了他老板模棱两可的言论，他在社交媒体上发帖称，任何谈判之前必须先停火 ——“不能本末倒置” 。然而，这可能只是一厢情愿的想法。
这种公开外交的激烈程度表明，秘密的幕后讨价还价正在进行中 —— 未来的日子可能确实具有决定性意义。特朗普显然仍是各方围绕的中心，各方都调整自己的言辞，与他的言论和社交媒体帖子相呼应。特朗普面临的麻烦是，普京也在按自己的方式行事，同样强硬且毫不退让。四位欧洲领导人在基辅向特朗普提出的挑战是，要求他对普京采取更强硬的立场。到目前为止，特朗普一直拒绝这样做，反而选择对这位俄罗斯领导人采取迂回态度。
尽管未来几天的局势尚不明朗，但很可能不会有停火（普京一直坚决拒绝甚至讨论停火，到目前为止特朗普也没有就此向他施压）；而且如果进行谈判，也不太可能很快达成解决方案。换句话说，发生重大变化的可能性似乎微乎其微：但至少还有一线希望。
3.2 重点详解
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enforce：/ɪnˈfɔːs/，动词，常见意思为 “实施；执行；强迫；强制” 。文中是 “实施” 的意思，例如：The government will enforce the new law.（政府将实施这项新法律。）be down to：固定短语，意为 “由…… 负责；取决于；归咎于” 。文中是 “取决于” 的意思，例如：It's down to you to decide.（这取决于你来决定。）observe：/əbˈzəːv/，动词，常见意思有 “观察；遵守；注意到；评论” 。文中是 “遵守” 的意思，例如：We should observe the traffic rules.（我们应该遵守交通规则。）strike a...tone：固定短语，意为 “采取…… 的语气” 。例如：He struck a friendly tone in his speech.（他在演讲中采取了友好的语气。）contemplate：/ˈkɒntəmpleɪt/，动词，意为 “考虑；沉思；注视；盘算” 。文中是 “考虑” 的意思，例如：She is contemplating a career change.（她在考虑换一份职业。）downplay：/ˈdaʊnpleɪ/，动词，意为 “对…… 轻描淡写；贬低；降低…… 的重要性” 。例如：He tried to downplay his role in the project.（他试图轻描淡写自己在这个项目中的作用。）ambiguous：/æmˈbɪɡjuəs/，形容词，意为 “模棱两可的；含混不清的；不明确的” 。例如：His ambiguous statement left us confused.（他模棱两可的声明让我们感到困惑。）precede：/prɪˈsiːd/，动词，意为 “在…… 之前；先于；领先；优于” 。文中是 “在…… 之前” 的意思，例如：The ceremony was preceded by a speech.（在仪式之前有一个演讲。）tailor：/ˈteɪlə(r)/，动词，常见意思有 “专门制作；调整；裁剪” 。文中是 “调整；使适应” 的意思，例如：We should tailor our approach to the needs of the customers.（我们应该调整我们的方法以适应客户的需求。）stance：/stæns/，名词，意为 “立场；姿态；观点；站姿” 。文中是 “立场” 的意思，例如：He took a firm stance on the issue.（他在这个问题上采取了坚定的立场。）steadfastly：/ˈstedfəstli/，副词，意为 “坚定地；坚决地；固执地” 。例如：He steadfastly refused to change his mind.（他坚决拒绝改变主意。）slender：/ˈslendə(r)/，形容词，常见意思有 “苗条的；纤细的；微薄的；不足的；微小的” 。文中是 “微小的；渺茫的” 的意思，例如：The chance of success is slender.（成功的机会很渺茫。）来源：英语大队长