The United States seeks to conclude a ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia by April 20, the day Orthodox and Catholic churches celebrate Easter.
Bloomberg writes about this, citing sources.
The White House acknowledges that the timing of the agreement may be shifted given the wide differences between Ukraine’s and Russia’s positions. So far, both sides have been shelling each other, and Russia, Bloomberg writes, is in no hurry to conclude a deal.
US President Donald Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine quickly during his election campaign, but progress has been limited. Soon, U.S. officials will meet separately with Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia to discuss future steps toward peace. These will be the first parallel talks since the Istanbul talks in March 2022.
Russia has been making maximalist demands for any agreement, including insisting on suspending arms supplies to Ukraine, a position rejected by Kyiv and Ukraine’s allies. According to the sources, the White House has not agreed to any restrictions.
European officials fear that Trump’s desire for a diplomatic triumph will lead him to sacrifice Ukraine’s interests and agree to terms that will leave the country vulnerable to future Russian attacks. They argue that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is stalling to get more concessions from Trump and more Russian progress on the battlefield.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv is ready to be “concrete and fast in negotiations.” Ukraine is represented at the talks by high-ranking officials, including the head of the Presidential Office, the ministers of defense and foreign affairs, and an adviser to the head of the Presidential Office. At the same time, Russia is represented by lower-level officials tasked with discussing general issues.
The Kremlin will not agree to a meeting between Trump and Putin until the parties reach a comprehensive peace agreement, which is unlikely before mid-April 2025. Suppose Russia signs a contract with the United States. In that case, it will be more difficult for Moscow to maintain relations with China, Iran, and North Korea, and the Russian side does not take this lightly.
Despite Putin’s harsh demands during the negotiations, Trump realizes that any deal must be acceptable to Kyiv to succeed. According to Bloomberg’s sources, the US is not ready to give up much – and is unlikely to agree to a meeting between Trump and Putin until a long-term ceasefire is in place.
