Although Donald Trump, Ukraine, and Vladimir Putin have all signaled openness to a temporary halt in fighting, real progress toward a ceasefire remains out of reach. While Kyiv’s team has agreed to a 30-day truce during intense negotiations with US officials in Jeddah, Putin’s apparent acceptance is riddled with caveats designed to stall meaningful resolution.
Trump has ramped up pressure on Volodymyr Zelenskyy, notably during their contentious recent White House meeting. Yet his readiness—or ability—to corner Putin into genuine concessions is far from certain. Last week, Trump’s only public demand to Putin was to allow supposedly trapped Ukrainian soldiers safe passage, a scenario Ukrainian forces and analysts insist doesn’t exist. Putin responded he’d “consider” it—if those troops surrendered.
Analysts warn Putin knows exactly how to flatter Trump and manipulate the dialogue. Kremlin observers describe his “yes, but” response to the ceasefire as a diplomatic smokescreen masking a strategic “no.”
In reality, Moscow appears disinterested in a simple ceasefire. Instead, Putin seeks terms that lock in Kremlin advantages, possibly believing “true Ukrainians” will eventually sideline Zelenskyy and negotiate on Moscow’s terms.
Meanwhile, US-Ukraine ties saw improvement after productive Saudi talks, where the US reinstated military aid and intelligence sharing. Yet doubts linger on how any ceasefire could be practically enforced across unstable frontlines, especially with drones and new warfare tech complicating monitoring efforts.
Unless Trump is willing to push back hard on Putin’s demands, peace will likely remain elusive.
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