Marta Gichko10:28, 12.03.25

If Putin refuses to cease fire, Trump will be forced to adopt tougher rhetoric towards Moscow.

There was some positive news for Ukraine from Saudi Arabia : The U.S. delegation announced that it would immediately lift the freeze on military aid and resume intelligence sharing. The move marks an improvement in bilateral relations after several tense weeks that culminated in a disastrous Oval Office meeting in late February, when U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance publicly clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Atlantic Council writes.

With Ukraine clearly backing the U.S. peace initiative, the world’s attention will be focused on Russia’s response. Trump has said he plans to personally discuss the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as this week. If the Kremlin refuses to back the proposed ceasefire, it could fundamentally change the perception of the war and make Russia the main obstacle to peace.

Further developments will also provide insight into the dynamics of Trump’s personal relationship with Putin. The US leader has repeatedly claimed good ties with the Russian ruler and cited progress in previous talks on a possible peace deal. If his efforts fail, however, Trump will face increasing pressure to take a tougher line with Moscow.

For Putin, the situation remains ambiguous. Despite significant losses, the Russian army continues to slowly but steadily advance into Ukrainian territory. On the other hand, recent changes in US foreign policy have given him confidence that the international coalition supporting Ukraine may begin to disintegrate. For this reason, the Kremlin will probably not rush to support the US initiative for an immediate ceasefire. At the same time, if Putin rejects Trump’s peace proposals, this could hinder the expected “reset” of US-Russian relations that the new administration in Washington has been signaling since the beginning of the year.

The US is pushing for a ceasefire as the first step in a full-fledged negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia. Although a real peace agreement is still a long way off, this initial step could be an important impetus. If Moscow does not support the ceasefire, pressure will increase on the US and Europe to increase military aid to Ukraine and impose additional sanctions on Russia.

(C)UNIAN 2025