Volodymyr Zelensky showed support for Trump’s proposal to freeze fighting as a first step towards a ceasefire. For the Ukrainian, this may be the most viable alternative at the moment, although he recognizes that this chance is small.
Furthermore, for him, the main obstacle is Russia’s stance, which rejects the idea. This resistance from Moscow, in fact, has been the reason why a new meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump has not yet taken place.
The current president of the United States stated that he does not intend to “waste time” with meetings if there is no clear sign of commitment from the Russians. Washington advocates that both parties agree to suspend hostilities based on current territorial positions, so that a peace negotiation table can then be opened.
The American and Ukrainian presidents held a summit at the White House last Friday (17), on negotiations to resolve the war. For Trump, the time to act is now, as there is a real opportunity for negotiations with international support. In the military context, Zelensky, in turn, confirmed that the country already manufactures thousands of drones, but suggested a possible exchange for heavier weapons, such as the Tomahawk, whose supply, according to Trump, depends on US production capacity and adequate coordination.
Today, Russia controls approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory. The Kremlin has already indicated that it will only accept negotiations if Ukraine recognizes the annexation of occupied territories, something that Zelensky completely rejects. Furthermore, Putin sees the frozen ceasefire proposal as a maneuver to strengthen Ukraine militarily before resuming fighting.
The war between Ukraine and Russia began in February 2022, when Russian troops invaded Ukrainian territory. Since then, thousands of civilians and military personnel have died, and millions have been displaced.
