On Monday (14 April 2025), a number of European leaders sharply criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of continuing military action against Ukraine and undermining peace initiatives that the Donald Trump administration is trying to promote in the United States. European capitals seem to be united in the view that the Kremlin’s actions remain the main obstacle to de-escalation of the conflict. However, the position of the Trump-led White House continues to contrast sharply with the European point of view, creating new lines of tension in transatlantic relations.
Speaking at a joint press conference with El Salvador’s President Naib Buchele, Donald Trump again sharply criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His words were unequivocal: “It was a mistake to let the war happen. If Biden had been competent. And if Zelenskyy was competent – and I don’t know if he is – we would have a serious conversation with this guy here.” Trump added: “You don’t start a war against somebody who is 20 times your size and then expect people to give you a few missiles.”
At the same time, Trump’s tone towards Putin was much more conciliatory. “And look at Putin – I’m not saying that anybody is an angel, but I’ll tell you, I was in charge for four years, and it wasn’t even a question. He never-I told him: don’t do it. You’re not going to do it,” he said, hinting that under his previous presidency, Russia allegedly did not dare to take such steps. In the end, however, Trump distributed the blame among all parties: “Biden could have stopped it, Zelensky could have stopped it, and Putin should never have started it in the first place. Everyone is to blame.”
Even more revealing were the statements made by Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who visited Moscow last week. Speaking on Fox News, Vitkoff described his five-hour meeting with Russian officials as “compelling”. According to him, at the end of the talks, the parties came closer to understanding what Putin wants – “permanent peace”. “Towards the end, we really came to that… to what Putin is asking for,” he said, stressing that the process took time but yielded results.
However, the details provided by Vitkoff may alarm the US’s European allies. According to him, the peace agreement includes not only control over the “five territories” – apparently referring to the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine – but also broader security requirements. These include the rejection of NATO expansion, the exclusion of the application of Article 5 on collective defence and other “security protocols”. “It’s a complicated situation, rooted in some really problematic things that are happening between the two countries,” he added, expressing hope that the agreement could be “very important for the world at large.”
Vitkoff also hinted at the economic aspect of a possible deal, saying that “there is an opportunity to change the Russian-American relationship with some very attractive commercial opportunities”. In his view, this could bring stability to the region. Such statements raise the question: is Trump ready to make concessions to Putin in order to achieve peace, and how will this affect the position of Ukraine and its European partners?
While European leaders are pushing for a tough confrontation with Russia, the Trump administration seems to be leaning towards a more pragmatic approach that may include compromises with the Kremlin. This creates a risk of a split in the Western camp and puts Ukraine in a difficult position to choose between continuing to fight with European support or seeking a modus vivendi with Russia under US pressure. For Putin, returning to “business as usual” – stability on his terms – remains the main goal. The question is at what cost and who will pay it.
Author :Marianna Nyzhnia
