In a major policy pivot after his high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, U.S. President Donald Trump has shifted from demanding an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine to pursuing a comprehensive peace accord. Announced mid-flight back to Washington, this new focus bypasses short-term pauses and aims for a long-term settlement to a conflict now in its third year.
Before Alaska, Trump and European allies, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, had pushed for an immediate stop to the fighting. But ceasefires often falter when battlefield conditions shift, prompting Trump to argue that a direct peace deal offers a stronger path to lasting stability.
Zelenskiy, who heads to Washington this week, has cautioned that skipping a ceasefire might complicate negotiations, noting that if Russia will not observe a simple halt in strikes, it may resist broader efforts toward peaceful coexistence.
Central to the discussions is the fate of Donbas. Briefings suggest Putin is demanding full control of Donetsk and Lugansk regions in exchange for freezing frontlines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia—areas where Ukraine still holds key cities.
Trump has signaled support for this proposal within a larger peace package and has offered U.S. backing for security guarantees to Ukraine. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the shift significant progress, though the exact terms of those guarantees remain unclear.
Observers now ask whether sidelining an initial ceasefire in favor of a sweeping peace deal can truly bring hostilities to an end, or if Ukraine will find itself under renewed pressure to defend its sovereignty and territory.
For young global citizens tracking this story, the outcome will shape international security norms and test the limits of modern peace-making. All eyes are on Washington and Kyiv to see if this bold strategy will finally hold.
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Trump drops Ukraine ceasefire demand, pushes for full peace deal
cgtn.com
