Russian officials have expressed an openness to short-term truce in their conflict with Ukraine, though they insisted progress towards a final peace settlement is essential. This comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to push Ukraine towards peace talks; suggesting Russia might agree to accept temporary ceasefire under certain conditions.
“We’re doing very well with Russia,” Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office on Friday. “However, dealing with Ukraine has proven more challenging.”
Trump’s advisors are already exploring strategies for relaxing sanctions imposed against Russia due to its war with Ukraine, including capping oil sales prices from Russia. According to sources familiar with these discussions, their advisors have begun discussing ways to soften those restrictions further.
On Tuesday, officials from both nations will meet in Saudi Arabia to explore ways of improving relations and possibly reinstating U.S. military and intelligence support to Kyiv that President Donald Trump suspended after an awkward White House exchange between themselves on February 28.
Trump’s approach to Russia has caused concern both within Ukraine and among European allies, who fear he could pressurize Kyiv into making deals that favor Moscow.
Russian officials have indicated their readiness to consider a temporary ceasefire, provided there is a clear path toward reaching a peace settlement agreement. According to sources familiar with private talks, Russia insists any ceasefire must include a framework for eventual peace settlement, with particular focus placed upon peacekeeping missions and which countries would participate.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not respond immediately to our request for comments.
Russia intensified its air attacks against Ukraine, with hundreds of missiles, drones, and other weapons hitting different parts of the country. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin is interested in reaching an agreement, yet threatened further sanctions and tariffs if talks fail; though he did not elaborate as to what types of additional restrictions might be put on Russia given current restrictions already placed upon it.
Since his inauguration on January 20, Trump has altered longstanding U.S. policy regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to quickly end it. After holding phone talks with Vladimir Putin last month and agreeing on holding a summit but yet without setting a date for it, Trump also abandoned U.S. support for NATO membership and disregarded any hope that all Ukrainian territory seized since 2014 would be returned by Russia.
Following his encounter with Zelensky at the White House, Trump temporarily suspended military aid to Ukraine and some intelligence-sharing arrangements with Kyiv – much to the displeasure of European allies who fear his actions are rewarding Russia for its aggression. Furthermore, according to The New York Times reportes that National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency temporarily stopped providing Ukraine access to satellite imagery.
Zelensky responded that Russia must be forced into peace and that Ukraine is working constructively with the Trump administration, with his team engaged in intensive discussions at different levels with members of his team.
On Tuesday, Zelensky plans to send senior aides to meet with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia in order to outline a framework for peace agreement and an initial ceasefire agreement. Russian officials, however, have made it clear they will not tolerate NATO troops being present on Ukrainian territory and rejected European proposals of creating a coalition of willing monitors of any peace deal.
Any potential relaxation of sanctions would further stifle policy alignment between allies, many of whom worked alongside the previous administration to implement them, and Russia. European officials in London and Brussels have made clear they do not intend to lift them prematurely.
Next week, an important decision will be made regarding the expiration of a general license that authorized reduced purchases of Russian energy products. Should the U.S. Treasury Department allow this exemption to lapse, this could heighten pressure against Moscow.
Trump has consistently demanded an immediate end to the conflict; however, Putin has repeatedly dismissed any notion of a temporary truce. At his annual press conference in December, Putin stated: “We do not require truce – but peace: long-term, durable peace with guarantees for Russia and its people.”
Russia has also rejected a Franco-British proposal for a one-month ceasefire that would include suspending air and naval operations as well as stopping strikes against energy infrastructure.
