Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of seeking to prolong the war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy claimed that Putin was afraid to directly tell President Trump that he wanted to continue the conflict and keep killing Ukrainians. He expressed frustration with Moscow surrounding the ceasefire proposal with preconditions that could cause it to fail or be drawn out as long as possible. Despite this, Zelenskyy stated that tougher sanctions were necessary to pressure Putin into making a deal and ending the bloody three-year war.
After Ukraine agreed to a U.S. ceasefire proposal earlier in the week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio placed the responsibility on Russia, stating that the “ball is now in [Russia’s] court.” Zelenskyy reiterated that Russia was the only one stalling and being unconstructive, emphasizing Putin’s desire to continue the conflict. President Trump expressed a desire for peace rather than sanctions but acknowledged that the U.S. could take financial actions that would be “devastating for Russia.” Trump’s goal was to see peace in the region, but he warned that the U.S. could take harsh measures if necessary to push for a resolution.
Putin thanked Trump for the principles of the ceasefire push but did not definitively agree to the 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. While Putin agreed with the plan in principle, he indicated that Russia would not be signing onto the agreement in its current form. Ukraine had agreed to the plan following discussions with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia on the condition that Russia also committed to the proposal. Trump expressed disappointment at the prospect of Russia not agreeing to the ceasefire, emphasizing his goal of ending the conflict that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2021.
Throughout his campaign, Trump promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war, pledging that if he had remained in office in 2020, the conflict would not have started. He believed that the war reflected the failures of previous administrations but expressed optimism about reaching a resolution to the conflict. Trump’s administration had been working to negotiate with Russia and Ukraine to secure a ceasefire and bring an end to the violence. The potential for tougher sanctions against Russia was raised as a means of pressuring Putin to agree to the ceasefire and work towards a peaceful resolution.
The ongoing tensions between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. continued to escalate as efforts were made to negotiate a ceasefire and end the conflict. Zelenskyy accused Putin of prolonging the war, while Trump expressed a desire for peace but warned of potential harsh financial measures against Russia if necessary. Putin indicated his agreement with the ceasefire proposal in principle but did not commit to signing onto the agreement in its current form. The possibility of sanctions and pressure on Russia to agree to a ceasefire remained as the international community looked for ways to bring an end to the violence in Ukraine.
