UK guarantees unwavering support for Ukraine despite Trump-Putin talks

The UK has already pledged additional support for Ukraine, and British leaders are now emphasising that this aid will continue regardless of the outcome of Putin and Trump’s negotiations.

President Putin was initially expected to agree to a 30-day ceasefire unconditionally, following the example set by Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

However, it appears that Putin has insisted on several conditions, including a freeze on further military aid to Ukraine and the demobilisation of Ukrainian forces. Russia also seeks to retain control of the parts of Ukraine it currently occupies. 

No agreement was reached on a comprehensive ceasefire, but Putin has made a commitment not to target Ukraine's energy plants and critical infrastructure for the time being. Additionally, "technical negotiations" are scheduled to discuss the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea. This arrangement, however, is unlikely to be accepted by Ukraine or its European allies.

Critics argue that Kyiv should not be expected to compromise while Moscow is not held to the same standards. Furthermore, with the US threatening to halt military assistance to Ukraine, as it did prior to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s agreement to the ceasefire, there are concerns that this could lead to pressure on European nations to follow suit. The intense diplomacy of recent weeks, aimed at securing the peace deal promised by Trump on "day one," has failed to alter Putin’s stance. 

The Russian president, it seems, remains confident that he holds the upper hand in the negotiations. However, the lack of a resolution has had a significant impact on European security policy. The failure to come to an agreement has forced European nations to make urgent decisions about their defence strategies—decisions that had been postponed since the end of the Cold War. In a move signaling its commitment to defence, the German parliament voted to release approximately 450 billion pounds in infrastructure funding to bolster the country’s military capabilities. 

This decision was made possible by a historic move to lift the constitutional restriction on borrowing, a measure reflecting Germany's historical caution about excessive debt. As a result, Germany is now poised to become the largest military spender in Europe for the first time since World War II. This shift in policy is the latest example of the geopolitical changes triggered by Trump’s overtures to Moscow. It also reflects the growing realisation among European leaders that they can no longer rely on US military support in the face of Russian aggression and rearmament.

Earlier on March 18, President Donald Trump lauded his recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasising a breakthrough agreement that will bring an immediate ceasefire on energy and infrastructure. He also revealed that this was not their first conversation in recent weeks.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner at the White House on March 18 afternoon — just hours after his two-hour conversation with Putin — Trump described the outcome as a significant step.

“It’s a big thing — an immediate ceasefire on energy and infrastructure,” he said.

Although the agreement does not constitute a full ceasefire, as it only applies to specific targets, Trump framed it as a promising development.

“It will lead to other things,” he added. “I think we’ll end up making a deal. It’s a good start.”

By Naila Huseynova