Nobody said it was going to be easy. Slowly but surely, the Peace process in the Russia-Ukraine war takes on a life of its own – flawed, surely, but vibrant.
After the surprise Easter Truce got everyone’s attention, and under the impending threat by the US of retreating from the negotiations unless the warring parties get on with it, we see a flurry of activity.
US President Donald J. Trump yesterday (20) on Easter Sunday, posted on Truth Social that he hopes Russia and Ukraine will make a deal THIS WEEK to end the conflict in Ukraine.
“HOPEFULLY RUSSIA AND UKRAINE WILL MAKE A DEAL THIS WEEK. BOTH WILL THEN START TO DO BIG BUSINESS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHICH IS THRIVING, AND MAKE A FORTUNE!”
Today (21), Russian President Vladimir Putin came out with an unprecedented proposal of holding bilateral talks with Kiev, and further said he was open to more ceasefires after a one-day Easter truce.
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, in the meantime, is sending a delegation to London to meet with the US, UK and France on Wednesday (23).
Reuters reported:
“Putin, speaking to a Russian state TV reporter, said fighting had resumed after his surprise 30-hour Easter ceasefire, which he announced unilaterally on Saturday.
Both countries accused the other of violating Putin’s truce, which Kiev had largely dismissed from the outset as a stunt.”
Putin has met 3 times with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff: negotiations are going well, but the US needs the process to speed up.
Responding to the US comments that they would welcome an extension of the truce, Putin said Moscow was ‘open to any peace initiatives’ and that he expected the same from Kyiv.
“’When the president said that it was possible to discuss the issue of not striking civilian targets, including bilaterally, the president had in mind negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side’, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Interfax news agency.”
“’Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States — we are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace’, Zelenskiy wrote, adding that he had good discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.”
US’ Trump – and Secretary Rubio – are putting pressure in the warring parties to come together.
“U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both said on Friday that Washington could walk away from peace talks altogether if the sides do not make more progress within days. Trump struck a more optimistic note Sunday, saying that “hopefully” the two sides would make a deal ‘this week’.”
Read more:
Zelensky Embraces Putin’s Truce, Suggests To Extend It Beyond Easter – Both Sides Denounce Ceasefire Violations, but Fighting Is Indeed Paused in Most of the Frontline
The post PEACE IS THE PRIZE: Trump Hopes Russia and Ukraine Will Make a Deal THIS WEEK to End the War – Putin for the First Time Proposes Bilateral Talks With Kiev, Is Open to Ceasefires appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.