Faced with the dangers posed by the suspension of US military aid, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky felt he had no choice but to send signals of appeasement to Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 4. In a statement published on the social network X, Zelensky described the "first stages" toward a "fast" end to the war. He called for these to include a truce in the Black Sea and in the skies, with a "ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure," provided that Russia complies as well. The agreement should also include, he said, the release of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war. All this in the hope of working "with the US to agree a strong final deal."

The Ukrainian president's proposal, unprecedented since the start of the large-scale invasion of the country in February 2022, was a response to criticism from the new US administration, which accused him of not wanting to find a way out of the war. Until then, Zelensky had refused to propose a truce until serious security guarantees had been obtained to protect his country from any further Russian aggression. But he can no longer count on the support of the US. In his message on Tuesday, Zelensky reiterated "Ukraine's commitment to peace," assuring his readiness to work "under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," thanking him for his support.

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