Trump expresses optimism over Russia-Ukraine peace agreement ‘this week’
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism that Russia and Ukraine could reach a peace agreement in the coming days, suggesting that both countries could shift their focus to business with the United States once the conflict is resolved.
Trump's comments followed remarks by both him and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, indicating that Washington may abandon its efforts to mediate peace if no significant progress is made soon. "Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week," Trump posted on his Truth Social account on Sunday. "Both will then start doing big business with the United States, which is thriving, and make a fortune!"
The 30-hour Easter ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin ended at midnight on Monday, with no plans for an extension. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, with the Russian Defense Ministry reporting around 1,300 violations, including artillery strikes and drone attacks.
Since taking office in January, Trump has emphasized his commitment to ending the conflict as quickly as possible. His administration has facilitated shuttle diplomacy and brokered a 30-day moratorium on energy infrastructure strikes, although both Moscow and Kiev later accused each other of breaching the agreement.
According to the New York Post, the United States is aiming to decide on a full ceasefire deal in the coming days, with a senior US official stating that the focus is on assessing both sides' willingness to negotiate directly. Rubio warned that Washington could abandon the peace initiative if no progress is made within a few days, describing the current proposal as a "broad framework" without offering further details. Trump supported Rubio's stance, affirming that there is a good chance of resolving the issue.
Russia has insisted that any peace deal must address the core issues of the conflict, including NATO's expansion and Ukraine's ambitions to join the alliance. Putin also demands that Ukraine recognize Russia's new territorial boundaries, which Ukrainian leaders have rejected. Last month, Putin stated that a permanent ceasefire could only happen if Western nations halt arms shipments to Ukraine and if Kiev withdraws troops from Russian-claimed regions.
Russian UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia recently called a full ceasefire "unrealistic" at this stage, accusing the West of using negotiations as a cover for continuing arms supplies to Ukraine.
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