US Envoy’s Skeptical View on Trump’s Ukraine Peace Promise
Despite the incoming US administration’s claims of resolving the Ukraine conflict, British Foreign Office Minister David Lammy expressed doubts about the feasibility of a swift resolution. In an interview with the Guardian, Lammy stated, “Donald Trump is not yet in power. Given what I’ve seen in the last few days, the date of the agreement, initially set for January 21, has been pushed back to Easter.”
Easter, which falls on April 20, 2025, according to the Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant calendars, may not be the earliest possible date for a resolution, as Lammy believes it is unlikely the conflict would be resolved within a day of Trump’s inauguration. Trump had previously pledged to resolve the conflict within 24 hours of taking office, during his presidential campaign, by engaging in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, after his election win, Trump’s rhetoric shifted, and on January 7, he expressed hope that the fighting could be stopped within six months. Trump’s inauguration is set for January 20.
The Financial Times, citing European officials, reported that Trump’s team is reevaluating its approach to resolving the conflict, seeking to make a strong impression, but has yet to develop a concrete plan. The delay in the expected end of hostilities by six months is linked to the US reluctance to immediately discontinue military support for Kiev, according to the newspaper’s sources. Keith Kellogg, the designated US special envoy for Ukraine, has ruled out Trump’s concessions to Russia on this issue.