Trump may withdraw from dialogue because Ukraine does not comply with ceasefire
Experts say Mr. Trump may withdraw from negotiations on Ukraine because Kiev does not comply with the ceasefire.
According to RIA Novosti, Professor Richard Bensel of Cornell University told the news agency that US President Donald Trump could take advantage of Ukraine's failure to comply with the Easter ceasefire to withdraw from peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Previously, on April 18, at a ceremony at the White House, President Donald Trump announced that the US would withdraw from the negotiation process on the Ukraine issue if one of the parties "sabotaged this process".
"It is difficult to predict President Donald Trump's reaction to any event. However, he may see the refusal to comply with the Easter ceasefire as an opportunity to withdraw from the peace process completely," said Professor Bensel.
According to Mr. Bensel, the announcement of the Easter ceasefire by Russian President Vladimir Putin has put Ukraine in a difficult choice, because if Kiev complies, it will legitimize Russia's participation in the peace negotiations, which Ukraine opposes. At the same time, the expert noted, Ukraine's failure to comply with the ceasefire could create the impression that Kiev is obstructing the peace process, while the United States wants to end the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible.
“Therefore, it can be seen that Mr. Putin has put Ukraine in a difficult position,” said expert Bensel. According to his assessment, the possibility of achieving a long-term ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is currently not high.
On April 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire for Easter. The order will take effect from 18:00 (Moscow time) on April 19 and last until 00:00 (Moscow time) on April 21 (4:00 Hanoi time). President Putin said that he believes Ukraine will follow Russia's example. At the same time, Mr. Putin noted that the Russian army must be ready to repel any ceasefire violations and provocations from the enemy.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, on the night of April 20, despite the Easter ceasefire, the Ukrainian Armed Forces used 48 drones to fire at Russian military positions and the border areas of Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions, killing and injuring many civilians, as well as causing damage to civilian targets.
Commenting on US hopes for an extension of the ceasefire, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel on April 20 that Kiev had not observed the Easter ceasefire, while still using US HIMARS missiles for attacks.
According to Reuters, citing the US State Department, Washington wants a long-term solution to the crisis surrounding Ukraine and an extension of the ceasefire beyond April 21.
In addition, President Donald Trump also expressed hope that there will soon be an agreement between Russia and Ukraine this week.
