Washington/Alaska: Former US President Donald Trump has dramatically shifted his stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, abandoning his earlier call for an immediate ceasefire in favour of a full-fledged peace agreement. The move came just hours after his high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ended without any major breakthrough.
Trump, who had previously insisted that Moscow halt hostilities at once, argued that ceasefire arrangements often collapse. “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement which would end the war,” Trump said on his Truth Social account during his flight back to Washington.
The shift appears to align more closely with Putin’s long-standing push for a final peace settlement a strategy critics in Kyiv and Europe fear could simply buy Russia more time on the battlefield. According to an official briefed on the talks, Trump showed openness to a Kremlin proposal that would see Moscow cement control over Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for halting offensives in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, flatly rejected the idea of ceding the Donbas.
Trump also offered Ukraine potential US-backed security guarantees, which German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hailed as “significant progress.” But EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas poured cold water on the summit’s outcome, accusing Putin of “dragging out negotiations” without any genuine intent to stop the fighting. “The harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war any time soon,” she warned.
Attention now shifts to Zelensky’s scheduled White House visit on Monday, where European leaders are also expected to join. The meeting follows a fiery Oval Office encounter in February when Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian leader for what they claimed was a lack of gratitude over American aid. This time, Zelensky said he hoped to discuss “all details regarding ending the killing and the war” after what he called a “substantive” conversation with Trump following the Alaska summit.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump stressed that the responsibility now lies with Kyiv. “It’s really up to President Zelensky to get it done,” he said, adding that European nations must “get involved a little bit,” but the Ukrainian leader holds the key.
In Europe, leaders of France, Britain, and Germany are preparing a video call on Sunday to discuss the next steps. While they welcomed the idea of a potential Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit, they vowed to maintain pressure on Moscow until a “just and lasting peace” is achieved. “We will continue to strengthen sanctions and economic measures to squeeze Russia’s war economy,” a joint statement declared.
Meanwhile, the war on the ground showed no sign of easing. Ukraine reported a massive overnight assault involving 85 drones and a ballistic missile. In Moscow, Putin described his talks with Trump as “frank” and “very useful,” claiming they brought both sides closer to “necessary decisions.” Yet he also warned Kyiv and its allies against “behind-the-scenes intrigues” that could derail what he described as “emerging progress.”
For now, the Alaska summit has redrawn the diplomatic map: Trump has set aside the fragile promise of a ceasefire, Putin has secured space to push for negotiations, and Zelensky faces mounting pressure as the battle for peace and territory intensifies.