America says Ukraine has agreed to its proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia following three years of warfare.
The announcement adopted peace talks in Saudi Arabia, the place Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travelled on March 10, and is a outstanding flip of occasions. The ball is now in Russia’s courtroom by way of whether or not it accepts the ceasefire proposal.
Zelenskyy’s latest shouting match with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance within the White Home, at a floor stage, couldn’t have gone a lot worse from the Ukrainian chief’s perspective. Each Trump and Vance subjected Zelenskyy to scathing assaults earlier than their assembly abruptly ended.
The fallout from the assembly initially appeared even worse than the assembly itself. On March 3, Trump paused materials navy help to Ukraine, and two days later, the U.S. stopped sharing intelligence with Ukrainians. The choice on intelligence has since been reversed following Ukraine’s settlement with the ceasefire proposal.
Vice President JD Vance, proper, gestures whereas talking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, as President Donald Trump listens within the Oval Workplace on the White Home, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington.
(AP Picture/ Mystyslav Chernov)
Trump wants a win
When campaigning for president, Trump promised to finish the warfare in 24 hours. After he gained a second time period, Trump has appeared disinterested and even antagonistic in the direction of Russia at instances.
The home turmoil that’s been fuelled by a lot of his insurance policies, nevertheless, has seemingly brought on him to hunt a win in worldwide affairs. Enter Ukraine.
Nonetheless, Trump’s elevated concentrate on Ukraine in latest weeks, together with his Oval Workplace assault on Zelenskyy, has required the Ukrainian chief to adapt. He’s subsequently been making strikes to shore up assist for Ukraine in a world devoid of American management.
Ukraine and Trump’s fixation
Trump’s concentrate on Ukraine stems from a number of features of his world view.
First, whereas theories of Trump being a Russian agent could also be overblown, he does appear fixated on Russian President Vladimir Putin. This fixation probably stems from the truth that Putin, very like Trump, views the world in a transactional method. Putin is somebody with whom Trump, who broadcasts himself as a deal-maker, can attain an settlement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin at a gathering on the Kremlin in Moscow on March 11, 2025.
(Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Picture by way of AP)
Second, the Russia-Ukraine battle aligns with Trump’s world view that the U.S. gives an excessive amount of and the remainder of the world too little to safe worldwide stability. This angle is especially the case with Europe, whom Trump views as “free-loading” by way of American safety ensures.
Third, Trump views Ukraine as having the potential to help American business and defence, simply not in a navy method. The uncommon earth minerals that Ukraine possesses have important financial and navy implications, and the market is dominated by the state Trump and plenty of others view as America’s chief rival: China.
Fourth and eventually, Trump accurately views the U.S. as having leverage over Ukraine. American navy help has largely allowed Ukraine to combat a protracted warfare in opposition to a a lot bigger enemy. Whereas the degradation of Russia’s navy and financial system advantages the U.S., Trump’s concentrate on short-term goals largely overlooks this level.
Did Zelenskyy outplay Trump?
Trump, nevertheless, didn’t account for Zelenskyy’s power of character. Whereas Trump is in search of to make use of Ukraine for his personal benefit, Zelenskyy stays centered on Ukraine’s pursuits — and never on America first. The rising persona battle between each males made the chaotic Oval Workplace assembly nearly inevitable.
Given Trump’s rhetoric in the direction of Zelenskyy within the lead-up to that assembly, it’s curious the Ukrainian chief agreed to the assembly in any respect. However Zelenskyy himself reportedly pushed for the assembly, and even had French President Emmanuel Macron intervene on his behalf.
American assist for Ukraine was disappearing earlier than the tumultuous assembly. There was no new help for Ukraine since Trump assumed the presidency. For Ukraine to outlive, it wants a brand new patron.
Zelenskyy has taken dangers through the battle, not all of which have labored in his or Ukraine’s favour. These dangers, nevertheless, have at all times been calculated. His try to bolster assist for Ukraine amongst its non-American allies following the contentious White Home assembly may be an instance of one of these calculation.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, centre, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and France’s President Emmanuel Macron meet through the European leaders’ summit to debate Ukraine in London on March 2, simply two days after the contentious Oval Workplace assembly.
(Justin Tallis/Pool by way of AP)
Europe rallies round Ukraine
Within the aftermath of the assembly, the worldwide group has rallied round Ukraine. Most essential, nevertheless, has been the European response.
For all the issues in Trump’s strategy, he’s appropriate that the European response to Russia’s invasion has left rather a lot to be desired from Ukraine’s perspective. Whereas Europe has offered extra monetary help to Ukraine than the U.S., it has largely occurred in spurts and solely after American management on the problem.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen provides a press release on the presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, in February 2025.
(AP Picture/Mindaugas Kulbis)
France and the UK have emerged as Ukraine’s greatest backers in Europe. This isn’t new, as each nations have been amongst Ukraine’s most vocal supporters over the previous few years. What Ukraine wants, nevertheless, is for that vocal assist to show into motion.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen introduced an 800 billion euro program for European Union members to bolster their defence capabilities quickly after Zelenskyy met with European leaders in London in early March. In explaining her rational, von der Leyen acknowledged:
“With this equipment, member states can massively step up their support to Ukraine… This approach of joint procurement will also reduce costs, reduce fragmentation, increase interoperability and strengthen our defence industrial base.”
EU is crucial
Although not excellent, the renewed assist from the EU and the U.Okay. could permit Ukraine to proceed preventing as Russia’s declining financial system hinders Putin’s warfare effort.
Within the aftermath of the Oval Workplace showdown with Trump and Vance, Zelenskyy has accomplished what he can to restore Ukraine’s relationship with the U.S. and satiate Trump’s ego, however rigidity stays. From Ukraine’s perspective, it wants a brand new companion in its warfare in opposition to Russia, and the EU can serve that objective.
The U.S. would be the nation pushing for a ceasefire in Ukraine, nevertheless it’s Europe that may play probably the most very important position in Ukraine’s skill to win the warfare if it endures.
