President Trump on Thursday called for a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, threatening to impose sanctions on both countries if the conflict rages on.
“Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations,” Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post. “If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions. Thousands of young soldiers are dying every week and everyone should want it to STOP.”
Despite the president’s repeated calls for a ceasefire this year, the three-year-long war has raged on.
Mr. Trump did not specify which types of sanctions he’d impose as part of an effort to secure a ceasefire. Earlier this year, Mr. Trump had floated the idea of easing sanctions that the Biden administration slapped on Russia as a penalty for invading Ukraine if Moscow agreed to pause in fighting.
The latest plea for a ceasefire comes after Mr. Trump held a roughly 20-minute telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a social media post, Mr. Zelenskyy said he proposed a total ceasefire for 30 days.
“Thirty days, which could be the beginning of years of peace. It is a ceasefire, lasting and reliable that will be a real indicator of the movement towards peace. America can help with this. The world needs America just as much as it did 80 years ago [during World War II],” he wrote.
Mr. Zelenskyy said he is ready for a ceasefire deal in any format, calling for a total ceasefire that would also ban missile and drone attacks as well assaults on the front lines.
“The Russians need to respond to this adequately: support the ceasefire. They must prove their readiness to end the war,” Mr. Zelenskyy said.
Mr. Trump’s renewed call for a ceasefire is part of a flurry of diplomatic activity by the U.S. in recent weeks, and the White House is signaling a shift in its posture towards Russia.
The Trump administration has recently expressed frustration with the lack of Russian cooperation to end the war. On Wednesday, Vice President J.D. Vance said Moscow was asking for too many concessions to end the war.
Mr. Vance said the U.S. is pushing for a long-term peace agreement as Russia rejects the administration’s call for a 30-day ceasefire. Moscow argues that a pause would let Ukraine regroup, undermining Russia’s strategic interests.
The vice president said the next step in the peace process is to get Ukraine and Russia to sit down and negotiate.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 30-day pause on attacking energy infrastructure in Ukraine during a March 18 call with Mr. Trump. However, Ukraine has alleged that Moscow violated the ceasefire more than 30 times.
Last month, after Russia launched 215 missiles and drones across Ukraine, killing at least 12 civilians and injuring 87 others in Kyiv, Mr. Trump unleashed his frustrations on social media. He called the attack “not necessary” and “very bad timing.” He urged Mr. Putin to “Stop!”
U.S. officials have intensified efforts to secure a ceasefire, warning they may withdraw from mediation soon if no progress is made.
