US pushes for Ukraine ceasefire within weeks amid Paris peace talks

The United States is ramping up efforts to secure a full ceasefire in Ukraine within weeks, said sources familiar with high-level discussions in Paris on April 17. The renewed push comes amid growing urgency from the Trump administration to end the three-year war initiated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

During the talks, US envoy Steve Witkoff met with French President Emmanuel Macron and other European and Ukrainian officials to explore a path to peace, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

“The participants told US officials that they fully support President Donald Trump’s main objective of a swift end to the war,” said a person with direct knowledge of the talks.

Officials indicated that significant progress is expected soon. Negotiators and national security advisers from the US, UK, France, and Germany are scheduled to reconvene in London next week to build on the discussions.

The Paris meetings followed Witkoff’s five-hour conversation in St. Petersburg with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Witkoff later described the discussion as “compelling,” noting they addressed both the war’s resolution and potential business opportunities.

Europe used the Paris gathering to signal its unity with Kyiv and underscore that the burden lies with Moscow to prove it’s serious about peace. European officials also pushed the US to consider harsher measures if Russia doesn’t cooperate. One senior official said they emphasized the need for a “large scale” sanctions package that Trump has previously hinted at.

Trump, while expressing frustration with stalled negotiations, has at times questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy’s role in the conflict. “I don’t hold Zelenskyy responsible but I’m not exactly thrilled with the fact that war started,” Trump said.

Zelenskyy, speaking from Kyiv, criticized Witkoff for “adopting Russian strategy” and dismissed any territorial negotiations. “We do not discuss territories until the ceasefire,” he said. “We will never consider Ukrainian lands as Russian.”

Despite a partial truce on energy targets, recent Russian strikes have killed over 55 civilians. Ukraine reiterated its support for a full ceasefire during US-led talks in Saudi Arabia in March.

“We are working on critical issues for the security of Ukraine and all of Europe,” Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on X.

By Vafa Guliyeva