Trump reacted coldly to this declaration. He publicly signaled that the agreement on interrupting fighting is not a necessary condition and that direct conversations will be key between Zelanski and Vladimir Putin. There is a lot of indications that the US president is moving the accent from a quick truce to a “larger puzzle” – a wide peace system, although without precise guarantees as to the shape and schedule.
Just two days earlier the Trump -Putin summit in Alaska ended, which he has not brought either the fire of the fire or harder consequences for the Kremlin in the event of a warfare continuation. In the opinion of the AP agency, after this meeting, Trump withdrew from the earlier, more emphasized postulate of immediate truce in favor of talks about a comprehensive contract. Russia did not even agree to the temporary pause in the fighting.
Zelanski replies that any negotiations must respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine and include, among others Return of abducted civilians and real security guarantees. These conditions, emphasized by Kiev for months, also resounded in American media relations from the White House. European leaders – from Paris to London – also emphasized that without reliable guarantees, the room will not last.
Friedrich Merz wants to suspend weapons
Meanwhile, Berlin is growing to one of the main spokespersons for immediate stopping as a necessary bridge for further conversations. Merz's speech in Washington is part of this strategy and is an attempt to set a minimum, measurable goal for the next stage of the process.
It is also a test of Western unity. Can the US and Europe synchronize the expectations of the Kremlin and Kiev so that the truce does not become a dummy and a actual step towards a fair agreement? From a practical perspective, the scenarios for the coming weeks look two. If the vision of the White House, i.e. a quick, broad agreement without a preliminary truce, will prevail, then conversations They can focus on exchange matrixes (security, sanctions, future territories and international guarantees).
However, if the Berlin line and some European capitals will gain power, it will be a real goal to force operational pause on the front to limit the number of victims and create a window for diplomacy.
Regardless of the variant, Public opinion and the continuity of Russian attacks will act against the strategy under the slogan “We wait for everything to mature”. Relations from Washington and the previous peak in Alaska show that the lack of immediate political progress translates into further erosion of the situation on the battlefield.
One thing is certain now. Merz outlined a clear, European red line – another meeting should be politically glued even by temporary suspension of weapons.
