Senior aides to US President Donald Trump have advised him not to trust the Russian authorities’ statements about their desire for peace with Ukraine and to toughen their attitude towards Russia, sources in the White House have told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). According to them, the White House advisers insist on changing the approach because Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet shown a sincere interest in ending hostilities. The group of those seeking to change Trump’s position, according to WSJ, includes special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
However, according to the publication’s interlocutors, Trump has so far listened more to his special envoy Steve Whitkoff, who has met with Putin three times in the past two months and insists that the Russian president wants to make peace. That said, according to Reuters, Whitkoff believes the U.S. needs to recognize Russia’s control over the occupied regions of Ukraine. He also spoke of the possibility of giving a new shape to Washington-Moscow relations through “compelling commercial opportunities.” Nevertheless, Trump urged Russian authorities to work harder to achieve peace and said he had set a deadline for a ceasefire for Putin, but did not give an exact date. Previously, Bloomberg wrote, the White House chief had hoped to have a deal in place by April 20, the day of Orthodox and Catholic Easter, or by April 30 to mark 100 days since taking office as president.
