Trump aims for Ukraine ceasefire by Easter amidst skepticism
The administration of US President Donald Trump informed European officials that it wants to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine by Easter, Bloomberg reported on Sunday. This year, Orthodox Christians, Greek Catholics, and Catholics celebrate this holiday on the same day—April 20.
As the agency notes, the US president is in a hurry to take action to end the Ukraine war. If a ceasefire were to be signed before April 20, it would mean achieving it within the first 100 days of Trump's presidency. The hundredth day of his presidency falls on May 1.
According to officials cited by Bloomberg, the pace of talks beginning early in the week in Saudi Arabia with the participation of top-ranking US and Russian officials is ambitious and potentially unrealistic. As one of the interlocutors emphasizes, "obtaining a document by the end of 2025 is much more likely."
On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Putin is not seeking full control over Ukraine but aims to bring the conflict to a quick resolution, citing his discussion with the Russian leader. He also expressed his belief that Russia has no intention of attacking NATO.
Bloomberg reports that European officials are worried about the fast pace set by the U.S., fearing that without a promptly established plan for military aid, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky could be forced into a detrimental agreement.
These officials announced that the European defence spending and support plan for Kyiv will not be announced before the elections in Germany, which will take place on February 23. In this way, they want to avoid controversies before the vote.
According to earlier reports from the British newspaper "Financial Times," Trump and Putin intend to achieve a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia by Easter or by May 9, when Russia will celebrate the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. One of the Ukrainian officials, quoted by the newspaper, said that the Russian leader would like to conclude an agreement on a symbolic day.
Trump does not believe Zelensky's warnings
The President assessed that he doesn't believe "in the slightest" the warnings of the Ukrainian president that Putin wants to attack NATO in the future.
Speaking about the expected talks between American officials and Russians in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, Trump assured that Ukraine will participate in peace negotiations. He also stated that he can meet with Putin in Riyadh "in the near future."
Trump also commented on a possible trade war between the USA and the European Union. Asked about the EU's announced retaliation for planned US tariffs on EU goods, Trump stated that it "does not matter" because Europe would be harming itself in this way.
