The Blubber

This is a sponsored post regarding Ukraine war by Polymarket.

The divide between Washington and Kyiv over a potential ceasefire in the war with Russia widened on Monday as Donald Trump reportedly considered scaling back military aid to Ukraine. He also voiced fresh frustration with Volodymyr Zelenskyy for suggesting that the end of the war could still be “very, very far away.”

Posting on social media, Trump shared an Associated Press article highlighting Zelenskyy’s remarks and declared: “This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!”

"It’s exactly what I’ve been saying—this guy doesn’t want peace as long as he has America’s backing. And Europe, in their meeting with Zelenskyy, made it clear they cannot handle this without the US,” Trump added.

“Probably not the smartest thing to say in terms of showing strength against Russia,” he continued. “What are they thinking?”

Later on Monday, Trump warned that Zelenskyy “won’t be around very long” unless he yields to pressure and agrees to a deal on US terms.

“This shouldn’t be a difficult deal to make. It could happen very quickly,” Trump told reporters, referring to a ceasefire. “Now, maybe someone doesn’t want to make a deal. And if someone doesn’t want to make a deal, I don’t think that person will be around very long.”

Meanwhile, reports surfaced that the Trump administration was drafting a plan to mend ties with Russia and lift sanctions on the Kremlin, marking a dramatic shift in US policy that would unsettle European allies and pave the way for broader US-Russia rapprochement.

According to Reuters, the State and Treasury Departments were directed to compile a list of sanctions that could be eased as part of the administration’s efforts to improve diplomatic and economic relations with Moscow.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the Trump administration had halted funding for new weapons sales to Ukraine and was considering pausing arms shipments from US stockpiles—a move that would significantly weaken Ukraine’s ability to fend off Russian aggression.

Trump, however, denied that he had made any decisions about stopping military aid to Ukraine. “I haven’t even talked about that right now,” he said. “I mean, right now, we’ll see what happens. A lot of things are happening right now, literally as we speak.”

These developments came in response to a French proposal for a partial one-month ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, as European nations ramp up efforts to secure continued support for Kyiv amid uncertain US backing.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated on Monday: “Such a truce—focused on air, sea, and energy infrastructure—would allow us to determine whether Vladimir Putin is negotiating in good faith” and assess his willingness for “genuine peace talks.”

A day after European leaders gathered in London to show solidarity with Ukraine, Barrot added: “Never has the risk of war in Europe, within the EU itself, been so great… The threat keeps getting closer, the frontline keeps getting closer.”

Despite the tensions, Zelenskyy expressed optimism about Ukraine’s ties with the US in a recent interview. “I think our relationship with the US will continue, because it’s more than just an occasional partnership,” he said.