Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, has given Russia a new, shorter deadline to agree to a truce in the war in Ukraine. The deadline, which is “10 or 12 days” from Monday, is meant to stop the growing crisis. Trump says there is “no reason” to wait any longer. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Trump’s involvement was “extremely significant” and that Russia needs to make peace quickly.
Trump’s most recent deadline comes after he said Russia had 50 days to cease the war or face harsh penalties. The former president is still putting pressure on Russia to calm down and put peace first with this new deadline.
When does Trump want the fighting to stop?
As the war between Russia and Ukraine gets worse, Trump is asking for a truce in Ukraine in 10 to 12 days. During a news appearance in Scotland, the former president explained his position again, saying that he would impose secondary taxes and harsh penalties on Russia. Trump said that any country that kept trading with Russia would have to pay a 100% tax on goods, which would hurt Russia’s economy a lot.
Zelensky said that Trump’s help came “right on time” when the deadline was moved up. He praised Trump’s clear position and resolve to “stop the war and save lives.” Even with this pressure, it’s still not clear what Russia will do to agree to a ceasefire. Here is the link to our article on the Ukraine Peace Talks
How far have the ceasefire talks come?
Turkey has already hosted several rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine over a ceasefire in Ukraine. There have been thousands of exchanges of prisoners of war, but real progress toward a ceasefire deal has been hard to come by. Russia still says that Ukraine must stay neutral, cut its military by a lot, and give up its hopes of joining NATO for peace to happen. Ukraine and its Western allies do not agree with these demands.
Even while these conversations are still going on, Russia’s aggressive military activities have not halted. Moscow has stepped up its drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, making it even harder to find a way to peace.
Why does Trump think this deadline will work?
Trump wants a ceasefire in Ukraine because he thinks that Russia will only agree to negotiate if it is strong. Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to the president of Ukraine, agreed with this and praised Trump for sending a “clear message of peace through strength.” Yermak also said that Putin appreciates authority and will be more likely to talk if he feels a lot of pressure.
Moscow has reacted strongly to Trump’s confrontational posture. Russian officials have ignored his ultimatum. MP Andrey Gurulyov said that Trump’s “ultimatums don’t work anymore” and that Russia’s “weapons, principles, and will” back up its determination. Here is the link to our article on the Ukraine War Resolution
What does Russia want before it will make peace?
Russia has made it clear what it wants from Ukraine for a truce to happen. These include Ukraine becoming a neutral state, cutting back on its military, and giving up its plans to join NATO. Ukraine and its Western allies have strongly opposed these proposals. They say that they would put Ukraine’s security and independence at risk.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, claimed that a “breakthrough” was “hardly possible” because the two parties were so far apart during the most recent round of talks. With such big differences in what each side wants, it’s not obvious how a truce could be reached so quickly.
Final Thoughts on Trump’s Ceasefire Deadline
It doesn’t seem likely that there will be a Ukraine ceasefire in the next 10 or 12 days, but Trump’s involvement has made things more urgent. He wants to put more pressure on Russia by calling for sanctions and secondary tariffs, but it’s not clear if these actions will change Russia’s position. Both parties need to find a peaceful way to end the war before it reaches its third year.
