Has Ukraine finally convinced Washington to stand next to kyiv?

Since the first presidential debates last year, Donald Trump has refused to answer the question of how he saw the end of the Russian war in Ukraine.

He promised to finish it within 24 hours, but he was less decisive when asked if his end would mean the victory of Ukraine.

Since then, Kyiv has been trying to convince Trump to decide who support – more precisely, alongside Ukraine.

From Trump's meeting to New York in September 2024 before the accused's presidential election of being a “dictator” and finally the unprecedented argument in the oval office in February, Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to convince the American president that Ukraine is not an obscure to a cease-fire, even more peace.

At the end of March, Ukraine accepted an immediate 30-day cease-fire proposed by the United States in the current invasion of Russia, if the Kremlin adheres to the same terms.

Two months later, there is still no ceasefire in Ukraine, and kyiv regularly reiterates that he is still ready for this at any time, if Russia agrees.

True peace, unconditional ceasefire

Meanwhile, Russia has unilaterally announced two short periods of ceasefire: one at Easter and one now, around the Moscow victory day. Two times, the Kremlin violated its own truce and refused a counter-proposition for an unconditional ceasefire for 30 days.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has finally succeeded in negotiating and signing mineral agreements with the United States, and the Ukrainian parliament has even ratified the partnership, giving the United States access to the benefit of the vast mineral resources of Ukraine.

Russia's cooperation with the United States has not progressed, and the only “compromise” Moscow would have been ready to accept was its desire not to claim the territories of Ukraine that Russia has never controlled in the first place, as large parts of the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine seems to have tried almost everything to prove in the United States that kyiv is not an obstacle to a ceasefire, while increasing the same pressure on Russia, intensifying drone attacks against the Moscow region a few days before the victory day parade, paralyzing the air space on the capital of Russia exactly when President Vladimir Poutin was expecting the high invite.

The strategy could have worked. Thursday evening, Trump and Zelenskyy had a long phone call to discuss the ratified mineral agreement.

The president of Ukraine then made a declaration on X which was not part of the mineral agreement, but again on the commitment and the will of Ukraine to an unconditional ceasefire.

“Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire starting now, from this very moment-a 30-day silence,” said Zelenskyy.

“But it must be real. No missiles or drones, no hundreds of attacks on the front. The Russians must answer appropriately-by supporting the ceasefire. They must prove their will to end the war.”

Zelenskyy took this opportunity to reiterate that this is not the first time that Kyiv has made this offer. “Thirty days that could become the beginning of the years of peace. A ceasefire, sustainable and reliable, will be a real indicator of movement towards peace,” he said.

By symbolically making this statement on the day of the day and the victory of Ukraine over Nazism, Zelenskyy added: “America can help this. The world needs America now as it is eighty years ago. ”

Trump brought his social platform to truth with a more moderate declaration that talks between Russia and Ukraine continue, indicating that Washington would be willing to be satisfied with a shorter ceasefire lasting less than 30 days.

“The United States predicts, ideally, an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. I hope that an acceptable cease-fire will be observed, and the two countries will be responsible for respecting the sacred nature of these direct negotiations,” said Trump.

“If the ceasefire is not respected, the United States and its partners will impose new sanctions,” he said in an apparent threat to the Kremlin, adding that “everyone should want him to stop”.

“I do it, and the United States of America too. As president, I will remain determined to ensure peace between Russia and Ukraine, with Europeans, and a lasting peace that will be,” said Trump.

Trump then continued with a declaration similar to that of Zelenskyy: “Everything can be done very quickly, and I will be available in a time if my services are necessary.”

Vance: Moscow asks “too much”

Earlier, in a clear sign of increased frustration in Washington, the American vice-president JD Vance said that Russia asked “too much” in his negotiations with Ukraine.

Speaking at a security conference in the American capital, he said that the White House focuses on both parties for direct talks and even threatened that the United States is ready to move away.

“I wouldn’t say that the Russians are not interested in bringing this thing to a resolution,” said Vance.

“What I would say is that at the moment, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions to put an end to the conflict. We think they ask too much. OK?”

The Kremlin clearly does not think that it asks too much. On Thursday, Russian presidential aid Yuri Ushakov admitted that Moscow “probably disappoints Washington” in one way or another.

“They also disappoint us, perhaps even more than we disappoint them, and for a long time,” continued Ushakov, adding that the sides “are nevertheless heading for a face to face meeting between Trump and Putin”.

'True Friend of Steel' XI

In the meantime, Putin is holding a different meeting in Moscow, welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping who visits the Russian capital for a bilateral meeting with Putin and participating in his victory day parade on Friday.

Before his arrival in Moscow, Xi Jinping wrote an article published in the Chinese and Russian media, establishing a parallel between the “hegemony” of the modern United States and the “arrogant fascist forces” 80 years ago.

“The just forces of the world, including China and the Soviet Union, were courageously fought and defeated arrogant fascist forces side by side,” he wrote.

“Eighty years later, unilateralism, hegemony and intimidation are extremely harmful. Humanity is again at the crossroads. ”

In a joint statement after the talks Thursday, XI and Putin said that the war in Ukraine could only be resolved by eliminating its “deep causes”, indicating China's support for the large -scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Xi also said that Russia and China should “be real steel friends who have undergone a hundred fire trials” while the two leaders have committed to strengthening coordination in all areas, including the army, and “thwart Washington's” double confine “course” of Pékin and Moscow.

Next week, Trump is visiting the Middle East. Between next Tuesday and Friday, he will go to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. These three countries have played an essential role in Ukraine's efforts to put an end to the Russian war in Ukraine with their aid in the exchanges of prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children, expanded with force by Moscow.

The Kremlin did not comment on the possibility that the Russian President will go to the Middle East.

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