WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump continues to push for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine as the conflict nears its third anniversary. Recently, the United States played a role in negotiating a partial ceasefire, which aims at ensuring safer navigation in the Black Sea for cargo and preventing long-range attacks on energy infrastructure. However, there are ongoing disagreements regarding the timing and extent of the ceasefire. Various reports indicate that Trump is feeling frustrated with both Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy.
The Associated Press reports that Russia is demanding the lifting of U.S. sanctions as a prerequisite, while Ukraine remains skeptical about the potential advantages of the ceasefire.
According to the Institute for the Study of War:
Russia has thus far refused to make any concessions and turned down the proposed 30-day general ceasefire from the U.S. and Ukraine when Trump contacted Putin on March 18.
The ongoing conflict, which has become the largest and most lethal in Europe since World War II, has led to significant loss of life. Ukrainian sources claim that over 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died, whereas BBC Russia reports around 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed. The United Nations has documented more than 12,650 civilian fatalities.
On the financial front, the United States has allocated $175 billion in aid to Ukraine through five substantial bills passed by Congress. Furthermore, in December 2024, the U.S. extended a $20 billion loan to Ukraine, to be repaid with interest from frozen Russian assets, as noted by the Council on Foreign Relations.
It is worth mentioning, according to CFR:
A considerable portion of the funds from the aid packages has been utilized within the United States, compensating American factories and workers for producing the various weapons that are either sent to Ukraine or used to replenish U.S. military stockpiles that have been drawn upon during the conflict.
