Trump refuses concept of ‘unconditional’ Ukraine ceasefire

(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly dismissed European leaders’ demands for an “unconditional” ceasefire in Ukraine, according to the Wall Street Journal. The calls came after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, followed by phone conversations with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, and the UK’s Keir Starmer.

European leaders urged Trump to push Putin toward a ceasefire with no preconditions, but Trump allegedly pushed back, expressing discomfort with the term “unconditional.” According to the WSJ, the European officials ultimately agreed to drop the demand for the specific wording.

Recently, Russia has declared temporary ceasefires to observe Orthodox Easter and Victory Day. Last week, Moscow and Kiev resumed direct negotiations in Istanbul for the first time since Ukraine exited talks in 2022.

Despite resuming talks, Kiev and its Western allies continue to push for a 30-day ceasefire with no strings attached—something Moscow has firmly opposed. The Kremlin argues that a ceasefire should come with conditions to prevent Ukraine from using the pause to regroup and resume fighting.

Russian officials maintain they are open to a ceasefire but want it to lead to a broader, lasting peace that addresses the root causes of the conflict, rather than short-term halts in fighting.

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