The White House is still aiming for a truce agreement in the Russia-Ukraine war by 20 April 2025, coinciding with Easter in both Western and Orthodox churches, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the planning. However, they acknowledge that the timeline may be delayed due to significant differences between the warring parties’ positions.
Trump stated on 22 March:
“I believe we’re going to pretty soon have a full ceasefire,” he said , adding that efforts to prevent escalation were “somewhat under control” and emphasizing his “good” relationships with both leaders of Ukraine and Russia.
US officials separately meet with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia today and tomorrow. Bloomberg says the talks will cover technical details of implementing and monitoring the 30-day truce on strikes against energy sites.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, who had repeated several Russian propaganda tropes in his interview with Tucker Carlson, claimed in a separate interview with Fox News that “some real progress” is expected during talks in Saudi Arabia on 22 March, particularly regarding a Black Sea ceasefire involving ships from both countries. He stated that this could naturally lead to a “full-on shooting ceasefire.”
Witkoff further stated that more progress has been allegedly made in “the Russia-Ukraine conflict” over the past eight weeks than anyone anticipated, adding that the ultimate goal is a 30-day ceasefire during which a permanent ceasefire will be discussed, noting that they are “not far away from that.”
Trump’s Witkoff dismisses Starmer’s Ukraine ceasefire support plan
Russia has set out maximalist demands for any agreement, including an end to arms supplies for Ukraine, a position that Kyiv and its allies have rejected. Additionally, Russia has recently ramped up drone attacks on Ukrainian cities ahead of the ceasefire talks.
Bloomberg reports that the Kremlin will not agree to a summit between Trump and Putin, which the US president has frequently predicted, until a comprehensive peace deal is reached. Sources familiar with the Kremlin’s thinking suggest this is unlikely to happen by mid-April.
European officials fear that Trump’s desire for a diplomatic victory could lead him to compromise Ukraine’s interests, agreeing to terms that leave the country vulnerable to future Russian attacks. They argue that Putin is buying time to secure more concessions from Trump and make further gains on the battlefield.
“So far, Russia is imitating the negotiations, talking about a possible peace and possible ceasefire, but they are not even ready to keep the ceasefire as promised not to attack, not to strike critical infrastructure,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda told Bloomberg Television.
Related:
- Welt: China considers joining potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine
- Trump’s Witkoff dismisses Starmer’s Ukraine ceasefire support plan
- EU bypasses Orbán’s veto to reaffirm support for Ukraine’s sovereignty
- Pavel: Ukraine to face territorial compromise without increased Western support
- Trump wants a Ukraine ceasefire by Easter – but Russia just killed a 5-year-old in Kyiv
- CNN: While Trump seeks quick peace deal, Putin’s KGB-rooted ambitions extend far beyond Ukraine