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Trump accuses Moscow: ‘They bomb like mad’. International pressure for ceasefire

US president calls for halt to Russian raids on Ukraine. Macron: ‘Russia is stalling’. While the Kremlin speaks of ‘unresolved issues’, the bombing does not stop

US President Donald Trump has expressed strong disappointment at the escalation of Russian attacks in Ukraine, despite a 30-day truce agreement signed on 18 March. During a meeting in the Oval Office with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump called the situation on the ground ‘worrying’: ‘I’m not at all happy about what’s happened in the last week. They are bombing like crazy.’

The president’s words come in response to a question about duties towards Moscow. Trump clarified: ‘There’s no need because we don’t do business with Russia, they’re at war’. He added that talks are ongoing with Russian and Ukrainian officials and that ‘steps are being taken’, but without giving details on a possible ceasefire.

Macron raises voice: ‘Moscow stops bombing and stops stalling’
French President Emmanuel Macron also denounced Russia’s non-compliance with the ceasefire, accusing it of only stalling. During a visit to Cairo, he said: ‘It is urgent that Moscow accepts an unconditional ceasefire. For almost a month it has not only refused a truce, but has also intensified the bombing of civilians’.

The most recent massacre occurred in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Volodymyr Zelensky, where an attack claimed 20 lives, including nine children. Another person died in Kharkiv as a result of a bombing that hit electrical infrastructure.

The Kremlin: ‘We are open to the truce, but many issues remain open’
From Russia comes a different version. The Kremlin spokesman reiterated that Vladimir Putin is in favour of a ceasefire agreement, but also stressed the presence of ‘an immense number of unresolved issues’. Moscow accuses Kiev of being ‘uncontrollable’ and rejected the joint US-Ukrainian proposal for a total ceasefire, making a halt to the raids conditional on an easing of economic sanctions.

Negotiations in Washington: focus on mineral resources and US support
On the diplomatic front, a Ukrainian delegation is expected in Washington in the coming days to discuss with the Trump administration a new US proposal on access to rare earths and other mineral resources, including oil and gas. US support for Kiev also appears to be linked to an economic and strategic understanding.

The visit follows the arrival in Washington of Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, the highest-ranking official to visit the US since the start of the Russian invasion. Dmitriev held informal meetings on the topic of foreign investment.

Slow on the ground: the Russian advance slows down
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) pointed to a steady slowdown of the Russian advance as of November 2024, attributed in part to Ukraine’s effective counterattacks in the east of the country.

The British Ministry of Defence also confirmed this trend: in March, Russian troops captured 143 sq. km., down sharply from 730 sq. km. in November, 393 in December, 326 in January, and 195 in February. The ISW, based on geo-localised imagery, updated its estimate to 203 km² for March, underlining how Moscow’s offensive capacity is gradually decreasing.

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