KYIV – When President Trump was flying to Alaska for his summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Trump said the main goal was a ceasefire. He said he'd be disappointed if it didn't happen, and warned of "severe consequences."
But shortly after meeting Putin, Trump reversed himself and said a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war wasn't critical. He wrote on social media that "it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up."
Trump's new position aligns him with Putin, and puts him at odds with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy -- who's headed to the White House on Monday.
Zelenskyy's last visit to the White House, on Feb. 28, descended into a heated dispute between the Ukrainian leader and Trump with the cameras rolling. Trump told Zelenskyy that, "You don't have the cards right now," and that the Ukrainian leader would have to make concessions with Russia to prevent the total destruction of his country.
Since that diplomatic disaster, Zelenskyy and Ukraine have worked hard to rebuild the relationship with Trump, and it appeared to be working. The Ukrainians consistently praise Trump's peace efforts. When Trump pressed for a deal that would give the U.S. access to valuable Ukrainian minerals, the Ukrainians agreed.
When Trump began pushing for a ceasefire several months ago, the Ukrainians endorsed the move. Putin did not, and Trump became openly critical and grew increasingly frustrated, to the point of threatening additional sanctions.
But Putin and Trump appeared to be on excellent terms at Friday's summit. While they didn't announce any breakthroughs, Trump now looks to be on Putin's side when it comes to the critical question of whether to pursue an immediate ceasefire versus a comprehensive peace agreement, which would take lengthy negotiations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked about the president's position on NBC's Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.
"We've been asking for ceasefire for a long period of time," Rubio said. "The only way to have a ceasefire is for both sides to agree to stop firing at one another, and the Russians just haven't agreed to that."
Zelenskyy will have additional support during Monday's visit. Several European leaders will be traveling with him to Washington to help make the case for further Western support for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy met Sunday in Brussels with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, one of those accompanying him.
"We agreed on the necessity of a ceasefire for subsequent diplomatic steps, effective security guarantees for Ukraine, and continued sanctions pressure on Russia," Zelenskyy posted on X.
Why Ukraine favors an immediate ceasefire
Ukraine wants a ceasefire for several reasons. First, it would be the quickest and most realistic way to stop the fighting in the short-term.
Ukraine has had no relief from Russian attacks since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, and any respite would be welcome. Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine with offensive operations on the ground in eastern Ukraine, and with nightly drone and missile strikes across the country.
Ukraine says the two sides need a ceasefire first, and can then sit down and negotiate the much more complicated terms of a permanent peace agreement.
"Our vision is a ceasefire first, and then everything else," Serhiy Leshchenko, an advisor to Zelenskyy, said on Ukrainian television. "If we negotiate before the ceasefire, it creates a big risk for Ukraine. If there is a ceasefire, it opens up space for diplomats."
Ukraine also fears that without a ceasefire, Putin will keep buying time and dragging out the war. According to Ukrainian leaders, Putin believes time is on his side and he intends to keep fighting until he wins what he wants on the battlefield, or gets concessions from Ukraine.
A ceasefire, Ukrainians say, would force Putin to negotiate.
Russia's approach to negotiations
At the Alaska summit, Putin again raised his favorite talking point — that the "root causes" of the conflict need to be addressed for a lasting peace. This includes an expansive list of demands that Russia has not been able to achieve on the battlefield.
Russia now controls close to 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, yet is calling on Ukraine to give up additional land it still holds in the eastern part of the country, in the Donbas region. Russia wants guarantees that Ukraine will never be allowed to join NATO. Russia also wants an agreement that would greatly restrict the future size of Ukraine's military.
Ukraine rejects all these demands and says negotiations on a comprehensive peace deal would go nowhere, while the fighting would grind on.
From Russia's perspective, agreeing to a ceasefire could cost the Russian military its momentum in the fighting, where Russia has been making incremental gains the past two years, though at an extremely high cost in casualties. A truce would reduce Russia's current leverage and ease the pressure on Ukraine.
"Everything is going to be about what the Ukrainians can live with."
In the wake of the Alaska summit, the diplomatic debate is now focused on whether to work for a near-term ceasefire or a permanent peace agreement. It will be on full display when Trump and Zelenskyy meet Monday at the White House.
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