WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, President Trump spoke with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin separately. They are trying to come to a partial ceasefire deal. The State Department said this is a huge first step in ending the war.
“We’re at the hardest point which is to start,” said State Department Spokesperson, Tammy Bruce. Bruce said Russia and Ukraine agreed to a partial ceasefire against energy sites. Strikes on energy facilities have been a critical focus of each country’s efforts to attack each other. Bruce said this is the biggest first step in ending the war.
“It is the idea that has to be accepted from both sides,” said Bruce. “How we get the full ceasefire will be determined by the envoys.
We asked what kind of reassurances did the President get from Putin that he won’t break the agreement? And what kind of consequences could Russia face if they break the deal?
“That’s not for me to guess that as to what envoys will discuss or what negotiations will be but the only reason we’re the closest we’ve been in this process is because of the strength of the United States and the whole of government approach under President Trump,” said Bruce. “Once that agreement is signed, we’ll see what happens but there’s a lot clearly a great deal at stake and it’s gone on for too long.” Bruce also adds that the US is already imposing sanctions on Russia.
Under the previous administration, President Biden helped secure patriot missile systems to Ukraine. In a statement from the White House, the President said Zelenskyy asked for additional patriot missile systems. The administration said they will look to our European allies to supply that.
“From that conversation, we will be moving patriot missiles or the missiles that we are going to check that are existing in European union to Ukraine,” said Bruce.
Bruce said we will learn more in the next few days the terms of the partial ceasefire and other agreements.
“The Ukrainians are serious about a full 30-day ceasefire,” said Bruce. “We will now wait and watch to see what Putin is serious about.”
President Trump also suggested that the US should take ownership of Ukraine’s power plants. Zelenskyy is pushing back on that proposal, saying those power plants belong to Ukraine. It’s unclear if that is on the negotiating table in Saudi Arabia.
