The pressure on Ukraine for "peace at any price" is growing: Washington is reaffirming its commitment to its allies, while Russia continues its offensive, both military and diplomatic, with conditions that are unacceptable to Kyiv. That's why Trump has found himself at the centre of criticism, both in the United States and in Europe, for his willingness to consider Putin's terms.
Drone attacks have not stopped despite the “Black Sea truce”
Despite a US-brokered 'ceasefire' in the Black Sea, Russian drones have again attacked Ukrainian ports. The Ukrainian side sees the attacks as a violation of the agreement, while Moscow does not recognise its responsibility.
Moscow has put forward a number of conditions that critics see as an ultimatum, including limiting arms supplies to Ukraine and Ukrainian military activity in the southern regions, recognising Crimea's 'status' as a 'separate format' and guaranteeing that it will not join NATO. Trump said the US would "take these conditions into account", but in Ukraine and among its allies this is seen as an excessive concession to Putin. In turn, representatives of the UK's Liberal Democratic Party criticized Trump's proposed agreement on a Black Sea ceasefire, calling it "overt pressure on Ukraine".
Trump admits Russia may be delaying peace deal
US President Donald Trump has suggested, that Russia may be deliberately delaying a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine. He noted that while Russia probably wants to end the conflict, it may be delaying the process. The US president admitted that he has used the same tactic in business to buy time.
"I've done it for many years. You know, I don't want to sign a contract, I want to stay in the game somehow, but maybe I don't want to do it at all, I'm not sure," he explained.
Ukraine calls for Russia to be punished for manipulation and violation of agreements
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said, that Russia is trying to blackmail the world by conditioning agreements on the easing of sanctions. He stressed that the Kremlin's statements cannot be trusted and that only its actions should be judged. Ukraine has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, while Russia has refused to do so, once again demonstrating its unwillingness to make peace. Sibiga stressed that international pressure is the only effective mechanism to influence Moscow, which must bear the consequences of its violations.
The Budapest Memorandum scandal
Richard Grenell, Trump's special envoy, provoked a wave of criticism after he said that Ukraine had allegedly transferred "Russian" nuclear weapons to Moscow under the Budapest Memorandum. His comment was criticized by experts, including former US ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer, who reminded that Ukraine's nuclear arsenal was Soviet, not Russian, and that Kyiv voluntarily gave it up in exchange for international security guarantees. In response to the accusations, Grenell simply replied: "That's true," which only escalated the discussion about Russia's responsibility for violating the memorandum.
CIA chief: "Ukrainians will fight even with their bare hands"
John Ratcliffe said, that the Ukrainians are showing incredible resilience in the fight against Russian aggression, and that even if they are not offered acceptable terms for peace, they will fight to the end. He acknowledged Russia's military superiority, but insisted that it could not break the spirit of the Ukrainian people. Ratcliffe also stressed that neither side will be able to achieve its maximalist goals and that only negotiations that take account of the real situation can lead to a lasting peace.
US reaffirms support for Baltics amid threats from Russia
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ultimately his commitment to the security of the Baltic states in the face of Russia's war against Ukraine during a meeting with Baltic foreign ministers. He welcomed increases in defence spending by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and stressed the importance of the US military presence in the region. For their part, the Baltic ministers stressed the need to continue military assistance to Ukraine and to maintain sanctions pressure on Russia. They also discussed ways to achieve a just peace in Ukraine.
Author: Danylo Pievchev