Trump and Putin Advocate for Ceasefire Agreement Between Russia and Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to participate in a call on Tuesday to discuss a 30-day ceasefire proposal aimed at pausing the conflict in Ukraine.

According to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg, Russia is anticipated to present its own stipulations for halting the fighting, which may include a complete cessation of weapons shipments to Ukraine.

Trump has indicated that the U.S. might be open to finding common ground with Russia as well.

“We will discuss land and power plants,” Trump stated to reporters on Sunday when inquired about potential concessions in negotiations to resolve the prolonged war in Ukraine.

“Much of this has already been discussed by both parties, Ukraine and Russia. We are in conversations about dividing certain assets,” he elaborated, without providing specific details.

“We aim to determine if we can bring an end to this war. Perhaps we will succeed, perhaps we won’t, but I believe we have a good chance,” Trump remarked.

The Trump administration seeks to garner Russia’s backing for a 30-day pause in military actions in Ukraine. Kyiv has already accepted the ceasefire proposal, leading Washington to renew military assistance and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after a brief halt in relations due to a heated diplomatic clash in late February.

Russia’s response has been more subdued, with Putin stating last week that he supports the idea in principle while outlining conditions and requesting further negotiations.

“The concept of a ceasefire is indeed valid and we certainly endorse it, but there are issues that need addressing. I believe we should engage with our American colleagues and partners. Perhaps we should contact President Trump to discuss it. We are in favor of resolving this conflict through peaceful means,” he said last Thursday, as translated by NBC.

Putin also asserted that any agreement must “lead to lasting peace and tackle the root causes of this crisis,” questioning the enforceability of the ceasefire and whether the 30-day halt would permit Ukraine to “receive weapons” or “train newly mobilized units.”

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Putin’s reaction to the ceasefire proposal as “manipulative.”

“We all heard very predictable, very manipulative statements from Putin regarding the proposal for silence at the front — he is effectively preparing to dismiss it as of now,” the president remarked in an evening address last Thursday.

A ceasefire could provide both parties the opportunity to reflect on their demands for a future peace arrangement, though the gap in priorities between them is considerable. Ukraine is concerned it may be pressured to cede Russian-occupied territory and insists on obtaining security assurances.

Analysts remain skeptical about Russia readily accepting a ceasefire or adhering to a truce. Prior to the escalation of war in 2022, earlier ceasefire agreements between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces in the eastern part of the country resulted in accusations from both sides regarding violations of the terms.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko mentioned on Monday that the Kremlin will demand “ironclad security guarantees” in any potential peace agreement, ensuring that Ukraine will not join the NATO military alliance and would maintain a neutral stance.

“If we are talking about a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine, this will certainly require an external framework. We will insist that solid security guarantees be included as part of this agreement because only through their establishment can we achieve lasting peace in Ukraine and enhance regional security,” Grushko stated in an interview with Izvestia, as translated by Google.

According to the diplomat, one of these stipulations should involve Ukraine maintaining a neutral status and NATO countries refraining from accepting Kyiv into the alliance.