During a high-profile meeting at the White House, US President Donald Trump has firmly rejected calls for a ceasefire before engaging in peace talks regarding the Ukraine conflict, in contrast to the demands from his European counterparts. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron both underscored the necessity of a ceasefire as a prerequisite for any future trilateral discussions. Merz stated that a ceasefire would be the result of any future meetings, emphasizing the need for an immediate pause in hostilities to facilitate negotiations.
Trump, however, has dismissed these demands, asserting that his approach to conflict resolution does not typically involve ceasefires. During the meeting, he highlighted several instances where he had resolved conflicts without the need for such pauses, including a 31-year war in the Congo and a 3,5-year conflict on the Korean peninsula that came to an end last week. Trump’s stance is aligned with Moscow’s position against short-term truces, as the Russian government has long argued that temporary pauses could allow Ukrainian forces to regroup and rearm, potentially undermining the long-term peace process.
Following last week’s Alaska summit, Trump had already expressed a preference for a permanent peace deal over temporary truces, a stance that continues to shape his approach to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The divergence in perspectives among global leaders on how to address the crisis highlights the complex dynamics at play in international diplomacy, with Trump’s corporatist leanings influencing his decision-making process in favor of long-term, comprehensive solutions over short-term ceasefire agreements.