Friday 10 Jan 2025 @ 15:10
Chatham House
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A rapid ceasefire in Ukraine could lead Donald Trump into a Russian trap

EXPERT COMMENT

A ceasefire that leaves Ukraine unprotected would only provide a pause before a wider war. Washington and Kyiv must agree viable security guarantees before any negotiations with Putin begin.

President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign boast that he could finish the war in Ukraine in 24 hours has increased expectations of an imminent ceasefire. But without credible Western security guarantees agreed beforehand, a ceasefire would be a prelude to a bigger disaster.

Proponents say that Trump’s threat to halt or decrease military assistance to Kyiv, while simultaneously warning Russia that he could give Ukraine all it needs on the battlefield, will bring both sides to the negotiating table. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeated in a recent interview that Putin is afraid of Trump, and that peace can be achieved through strength.

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Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/01/rapid-ceasefire-ukraine-could-lead-donald-trump-russian-trap

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