Russia Ukraine Ceasefire Talks: Trump Steps In

In a major diplomatic development, Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to start direct talks on a ceasefire. However, the Kremlin said that while talks continue, there is no set timetable to reach a peace deal.

Trump Claims Progress on Russia-Ukraine Talks

News made its way back to America when former U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday, “Russia & Ukraine have agreed to meet directly to discuss their long-standing dispute.” Trump made the announcement in a social media post. He said that he just had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and he said, “Russia & Ukraine will soon be meeting to discuss a Ceasefire, and importantly, an END to the War.”

Trump said that he had talked to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European Leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Finland & the EU, during a group call, after his call with Putin. He later told reporters a the White House. He told today was a progress and some progress had been made, but it was still raw.

Kremlin Response: Progress, No Timetable

Trump’s report suggested some optimism, but the Kremlin gave a more measured response.

Putin indicated that Russia is open to a peace agreement with Ukraine. He noted that the process is complicated and will take time.

“Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that there are no timelines and cannot be.” It is in relation to the challenges of creating a document that both parties can accept. Putin described discussions as “generally headed in the right direction.” But he did not commit to a timeline on when a ceasefire might happen.

Putin thanked Trump for supporting the rekindling of direct talks. Noting the recent meeting in Turkey was the first in-person negotiating session between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations since March 2022.

While European leaders responded to the discussions with further sanctions against Moscow, Trump did not. When asked why he had not imposed more sanctions on Russia to advance the peace agreement, Trump said, “There is a possibility of getting something. And, if you put those sanctions, you could also make it worse.”

He cautioned that if the discussions did not move far enough, he would “just walk away,” saying, “this is not my war.”

Insiders say Trump’s reluctance to impose sanctions surprised some European participants who expected more pressure on the Kremlin.

Conditions for ceasefire and future issues

One of the continuing points of disagreement is likely to be the conditions for a ceasefire. We hear Trump is pressing Putin for a 30-day ceasefire, which so far the Kremlin is refusing. Putin publicly states that certain conditions (i.e. the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from once occupied Russian territory) must be satisfied before any stopping of the current hostilities.

In addition to the above, although not strictly part of the ceasefire dialogue, a potential prisoner exchange of 9 Russians for 9 Americans was referenced.

Are high-level talks being planned

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy made reference to a larger international summit. It was to facilitate negotiations during the meeting, saying locations like Turkey, the Vatican, or Switzerland could be possible. Trump reiterated the idea. He said that Pope Leo was open to organizing talks at the Vatican. Though formally unvalidated by the Holy See.

While both sides were prepared to talk more, further detail has not been agreed about the format and timetable for the next meeting.

Various Reactions to Trump’s Involvement

“You cannot be in favor of the defense of liberty and also support Putin.”, said Carl Bildt, a former Swedish prime minister. “To actively engage with Putin is clearly a victory for him” because it allows him to appear to cooperate with while also continuing his military action.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen struck a different tone. He stated that it is “very important for the US to stay engaged.”

After Trump’s involvement in planning last week’s Istanbul meeting – which did not lead to a ceasefire. But has seen many people cautiously welcome – the possibility of a negotiated resolution following more than three years of conflict has re-opened the process of dialogue.

Recent News updates: Ceasefire Glimmers, Harmony is Still a Long Way Away

This story marks one of the most significant recent developments in international diplomacy – a renewed commitment to dialogue towards resolution of the Russia-Ukraine situation. It remains unclear, however, how close we are to restoring peace. If nothing else, whether it was due to Trump’s engagement or otherwise, we might expect some renewed dialogue. There still exist fundamental divisions but the geopolitical complications are significant barriers to peace, and likely will remain so for the future.

In this current global landscape, everyone will be carefully watching and hoping that these initial talks will develop into substantive and lasting resolutions. Without concrete agreements and clearly unresolved issues, peace is still a dream rather than a reality.