Ukraine, NATO remains wary of Putin – and tugs at Trump’s sleeve

Brussels – Despite proclamations about a cease-fire in Ukraine, Kyiv’s European allies are sceptical about the Kremlin’s willingness to cease hostilities and sit at the negotiating table. Under the spotlight, for the umpteenth time, are Russia’s real intentions, as well as the star-studded administration’s policy, perceived as excessively lenient toward Moscow.

Yesterday and today (April 3–4), the foreign ministers of NATO countries met at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels to coordinate on the ongoing war in the former Soviet republic. Andrij Sybiha, Kyiv’s foreign minister, reiterated his country’s commitment to a “lasting and comprehensive peace,” reiterating that “we have accepted the U.S. proposal for a 30-day provisional ceasefire without any conditions.” Moscow, however, talks of “requests and conditions,” he pressed, adding that “Russia must be serious about peace.”

The message, not even too veiled, shared by all participants is the same: Washington should not ease the pressure on the Kremlin—which is trying to stall for a major military success and deal from a stronger position vis-à-vis Ukraine—but, if anything, increase it. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte diplomatically praised “U.S. efforts to break the stalemate” but stressed the importance of “making sure that when a ceasefire or peace agreement is reached, it is lasting” and not broken by the belligerents. Translated, it means that you cannot give Russia carte blanche.

At this stage, the situation on the ground appears favourable to Federation troops, which would be achieving success along virtually the entire front line. Moscow’s incentives for suspending hostilities thus appear rather poor, and even Washington knows it: “We continue to doubt that Putin’s team comes to the table with good intentions,” admitted one U.S. official. After all, announcing a new mobilisation to enlist 160,000 soldiers does not sound conciliatory.

“It is clear that Vladimir Putin seems to have no willingness to initiate a ceasefire and begin peace negotiations,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. He was echoed by his British counterpart, David Lammy: “We see you, Vladimir Putin. We know what you are doing.” For the German Annalena Baerbock too, those of the Kremlin are “empty words”.

After glorying in having convinced, in his own words, both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky to suspend fighting for 30 days, the New Yorker tycoon opened to a relief of sanctions against Russia, while Kyiv rejected for the third time a draft of the agreement on critical raw materials it is supposed to enter into with Washington.

Recently, news has also leaked out that the Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, will not attend the meeting of the so-called Ramstein format (some 50 countries supporting Ukrainian resistance) scheduled for April 11. It will be the first time Kyiv’s partners will meet without the US.

Now, after several days in which on the diplomatic front nothing seems to be moving (at least not on the surface), Secretary of State Marco Rubio has come to Brussels to ask European allies to increase defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP, just as the White House tenant was heading for a confrontation with Old Continent economies imposing 20 per cent tariffs on imports.