US President Donald Trump has demanded that Russian leader Vladimir Putin respond to a proposal for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine by the end of this week, or April 20, 2025. Speaking to reporters, Trump stressed that his administration is seeking to end the fighting and "stop the killing," expressing hope for a quick response from Moscow. He also announced the possible signing of an agreement between Washington and Kiev on the extraction of natural resources by April 24, which, according to Bloomberg, will compensate the United States for part of the costs of military aid to Ukraine. The amount of Kyiv's "debt" during the negotiations was reduced from $300 billion to $100 billion, reflecting the pragmatic approach of the new administration. However, according to Axios, the White House is preparing tough sanctions against Russia if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire by the end of April, including restrictions on Russia's "shadow fleet" and duties of up to 500% on countries purchasing Russian oil.

Trump's statement, which came amid talks in Paris, underscores his frustration with the pace of dialogue with Moscow. Fox News sources say the US president believes Putin is deliberately dragging out the process. The moratorium, according to Reuters, has been violated by Ukraine more than 60 times, which Washington says complicates the talks. Trump, eager to fulfill his campaign promise to "resolve the Ukrainian conflict in 24 hours," is facing resistance.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the talks in Paris, which include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Adviser Keith Kellogg, are focused on the idea of ​​an Easter truce on April 20. However, Russia is taking a maximalist position, demanding control over four new regions.