US President Donald Trump has threatened to lose patience over proposals for a ceasefire in the fighting between Ukraine and Russia. European countries, including France, Britain, and potentially others, have floated plans for a one-month truce, with the goal of leading to peace talks.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron suggests that such a truce would test whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith when committing to a ceasefire. The proposal includes Kyiv as part of any future negotiations. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed skepticism about the plan, saying it must include explicit security guarantees from the West.
Trump has refused to provide such guarantees and has clashed with Zelenskiy over US support for Ukraine. The situation escalated when Trump publicly criticized Zelenskiy, stating that America would not tolerate such statements.
European leaders are seeking to reassure Trump that they can protect themselves without US aid, as part of a plan to boost defense spending. The European Union will hold an emergency summit on Thursday to discuss strengthening its military capabilities.
The situation has led to criticism from some EU officials, who see Trump’s actions as a betrayal of Ukraine and the alliance with the United States. However, others believe that Trump’s initiative could be the only show in town for negotiations to end the war.
Russia has welcomed Trump’s policy shift, praising him for changing US stance on Ukraine. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, described the situation as a “fragmentation of the collective West,” with some countries remaining committed to supporting Ukraine.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-britain-propose-partial-one-month-ukraine-truce-macron-tells-le-figaro-2025-03-02