Well, he’s threatened to, if agreements cant be reached. Whether that is a clear intention or a gambit remains to be seen.
It would presumably mean both ending military aid but also giving up all the tortuous negotiations and demands on mineral rights?
At he moment we have an “easter Truce” ending tonight, although Zelensky has said there have been breaches.
There are a lot of conversations including European leaders going on behind closed doors
From BBC timeline
“We're not privy to all the conversations taking place behind closed doors.
What we do know is that President Donald Trump was growing impatient at the lack of progress on a Ukraine peace deal. He’d been keen for some kind of truce to be announced.
Let's see what happens when Putin's "Easter truce" expires at midnight local time tonight.
Whether there will be continued efforts from all parties to continue the conversation and push towards a wider agreement.
The major sticking point remains: how and on what terms to end the war in Ukraine.
Up until now Vladimir Putin has shown little sign of being willing to compromise. His demands haven't changed - as far as we can tell - since his so-called peace proposal of June last year.
Under that, Russia would keep all the Ukrainian regions it has occupied, while territory still under Ukrainian control in those regions would be handed to Moscow
(Zelensky can never agree to that!)
“So, we need to wait, follow events to see whether this small step Putin has taken leads to anything more substantial.”
If Trump walks away Putin will control all of Ukraine because he knows Europe won’t be willing to commit to continuing the war - even if it could.
Even worse, with Rubio ordered back to US collapsing UK peace talks, Zelensky only has a couple of days to back down or continue without the US
It will be 10yrs before Europe gears up to matching Russia
There seems to be a deliberate sidelining of talks involving Europe by Trump in order to push his agenda
"London talks between officials from the UK, France, Germany, Ukraine and the US aimed at securing a ceasefire were downgraded this week after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff pulled out.
Instead, Trump's Ukraine envoy, Gen Keith Kellogg, is attending the talks in London and Witkoff will be headed to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin for the fourth time.
British diplomats said they were not entirely clear why Rubio and Witkoff had pulled out of the London talks.
The US state department blamed logistical reasons, but it was clear the decision was last-minute and left the Foreign Office wrongfooted.
(BBC I player, just up)
VZ has laid down his life for his country and I believe Trump will pull out of any negotiations and Putin will keep all the land he has taken from the Ukrainians. So unfair.
Trump should be banned from coming to the U.K. , but of course he won’t.
Unless Trump is kept well away from the public when he visits the UK he's going to receive a very cold shoulder I imagine.
NYT reporting that Putin will keep all the territory that he has illegally annexed at the cost of thousands of Ukrainian lives, who have been defending their country.
What a world we live in.
Putin will not stop there. He may decide on a temporary stop to his aggression, but who will stop him now?
The Economist is reporting that countries bordering Russia are putting down land mines even though they hate their use, and have previously signed against their use.
They are clearly very worried about the way things are going.
As should we be.
I very much hope that our negotiations snd agreement with Europe over defence is successful and that we prove to be a strong and United force.
Europe is our only way forward.
Sadly (and pragmatically finance-wise) Trump has had enough I think. 3 years of this war, haemorrhaging money. And men for the Ukraine.
Trump has bigger fish to fry.
China is his nemesis.
He will leave Ukraine to its near neighbours soon.
FriedGreenTomatoes2
Sadly (and pragmatically finance-wise) Trump has had enough I think. 3 years of this war, haemorrhaging money. And men for the Ukraine.
Trump has bigger fish to fry.
China is his nemesis.
He will leave Ukraine to its near neighbours soon.
Ukraine will be his nemesis if he does that. I’m not sure he’s realised yet.
As you would expect from me, there is a lot I like about Trump’s agenda on the national stage, from his colour blind meritocracy to his 15% corporation tax when you manufacture on home soil and his war on woke.
Sadly though his foreign policy, particularly on Ukraine, sits very badly with me. An aggressor like Russia should never have a free pass or be rewarded.
Yes, a crucial week. Except Trump sets so many deadlines then reneges. The headlines of course are "trump blames Zelensky" so whats new.
Far from speaking softly and carrying a big stick, successive UK and European politicians have yelled through a megaphone whilst carrying a twig. We look utterly ridiculous, never more so than that brief moment of bellicosity a month ago when Europe vowed to "fill the gap" left by the US to try and keep Ukraine in the fight, only to then back away because the US wouldn't provide a security guarantee.
What I see is democratic countries, who have been led by the USA for nearly eighty years, cast adrift because the USA has suddenly changed to an autocracy FriedGreenTomatoes2 It was a mistake for Europe to disarm, but nowhere near as big a mistake as for USA to shun democracy and throw away its position as leader of the free world. Europe can and will rearm, but the position of the USA in the world is lost. I’m not over dramatising when I say that, it’s just a fact.
Who knows what Trump will do?
He certainly doesn't.
What Trump is proposing is in fact a part actual occupation if the Ukraine. (control of the major power station, mining operations, etc).
An authoritarian and unpredictable regime right on our doorstep.
Has the deal over rare minerals been signed yet?
If I was Zelenskii I would withdraw pdq.
Whitewavemark2
Has the deal over rare minerals been signed yet?
If I was Zelenskii I would withdraw pdq.
Apparently an initial deal has been signed.
www.cnbc.com/2025/04/18/ukraine-signs-outline-of-minerals-deal-with-the-us.html
I do not believe a word that the Tangerine Toddler utters. The 'man' is a total imbecile.
Parsley3
A flavour of Trump's Easter message from LBC
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social on Easter Sunday, the president accused the left of bringing "Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS- 13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country".
The online rant, published shortly before 8am local time on Sunday, saw Trump accuse US judges and law enforcement of "allowing" what he called a "sinister attack on our Nation".
Honing in on his predecessor "Sleepy Joe Biden", Trump hailed him the "WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing".
^It comes days after Donald Trump declared that any party refusing to move forward with Ukraine-Russia peace talks are "fools" and "horrible people^
This man Trump IS the definition of insanity, and vile to boot.
Let's remember that this 'creature' was caught out saying that the way to deal with women was to "grab them by the pussy."
But I doubt he's alone - a large percentage of the American electorate seem to be mad or stupid or gun-crazy. They democratically voted him in.
Unfortunately, that is not "fake news."
Well, Chump made a direct campaign promise that he "would end the war on day 1".
His fans (some here) are incredibly gullible, and it does seem that he is beholden to his pal the genocidal dictator who murders political opponents for fun.
The 'deal' that Chump thinks Ukraine should accept is akin to Mexico making a surprise attack on Texas, seizing Galveston, San Antonio and El Paso, with the Donald saying, "OK, keep those, but please stop bombing and shelling Houston and Dallas".
The only thing that may make him rethink the Ukraine issue is if one of his in-crowd makes him realise that far from the strong powerful Emperor that he sees in the mirror, any such 'deal' would make him AND America look weak and silly. Just as well they had a proper leader in WW2 (FDR) not this orange buffoon.
Jane43
Whitewavemark2
Has the deal over rare minerals been signed yet?
If I was Zelenskii I would withdraw pdq.Apparently an initial deal has been signed.
www.cnbc.com/2025/04/18/ukraine-signs-outline-of-minerals-deal-with-the-us.html
If Trump walks away, the minerals deal will be dead, it will be Russia that benefits from any minerals exploitation, for Ukraine the future is bleak with the prospect of a pro Russian puppet government.
Trump seems to want Putin on side, he will be doing a deal with the Devil. Zelenski is a man of his word and loyal, Trump doesn't value those qualities as he doesn’t possess them
Putin is playing Trump.
The reports are saying that Putin is willing to freeze the borders at the point of where Russia has invaded. Putin is also pushing against the idea of any European troops in Ukraine.
Crimea and a good portion of Ukraine will be lost to Russia.
Russia will have succeeded in preventing any NATO or European troops in Ukraine.
What on earth does Ukraine get out of this?
More to the point - it puts Europe in more peril from an aggressor on our eastern front.
DrWatson
Would that be the FDR who brought horror and misery to thousands of innocent japanese/Americans in internment camps?
George Takei ( Sulu in Star Trek) tells his story.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3vFZdfVpL7KXLTh3fxqbqKB/george-takei-seven-things-we-learned-from-history-s-secret-heroes
Whitewavemark2
Putin is playing Trump.
The reports are saying that Putin is willing to freeze the borders at the point of where Russia has invaded. Putin is also pushing against the idea of any European troops in Ukraine.
Crimea and a good portion of Ukraine will be lost to Russia.
Russia will have succeeded in preventing any NATO or European troops in Ukraine.
What on earth does Ukraine get out of this?
More to the point - it puts Europe in more peril from an aggressor on our eastern front.
Ukraine gets an end to the fighting
This is the most optimistic outcome which Zelensky doesn’t accept, I fear a worse outcome.
Appeasement springs to mind when reading your posts david49
Remember what happened last time - once again Poland is at risk.
Registering is free, easy, and means you can join the discussion, watch threads and lots more.
Register now »Already registered? Log in with:
Gransnet »Get our top conversations, latest advice, fantastic competitions, and more, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
