May 12—Sources report that European leaders, led by British Prime Minister Sir Keith Starmer, sabotaged a plan that would have brought Ukrainian and Russian officials into direct talks to end NATO’s war against Russia in Ukraine, with a full-stop 30-day ceasefire in place.
President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had reportedly worked out a plan designed to address Russian President Vladimir Putin’s objections to what he called a “fake” ceasefire—one that would allow Ukraine to resupply and reposition its frontline forces. Witkoff’s proposal called for Ukraine and its European allies to recognize the three-day truce Putin had declared to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat as a step toward broader peace.
Under the plan, they would then request an extension of the truce, with a commitment that Ukraine’s allies would halt arms shipments for 30 days and that both sides would agree to freeze military movements along the front lines—a ceasefire in place.
European Opposition Derails the Plan
Sources report that Trump briefed NATO-backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the deal in a phone conversation and instructed him to agree. But when European leaders—led by Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron—gathered in Kyiv last weekend, the situation shifted.
According to sources, Starmer and Macron told Zelenskyy that he should make no concessions on arms resupply or troop movements and that the truce should come without conditions. They reportedly argued that Trump and the U.S. were “caving in” to Putin’s demands. Zelenskyy agreed, maintaining that he would only consider a ceasefire without conditions before engaging in direct talks.
Furious over what he saw as European sabotage, Trump then instructed Witkoff to tell the Russians to proceed with direct negotiations—without a ceasefire—and pledged to bring Zelenskyy to the table. Putin made his offer in a Moscow press conference overnight on May 10-11.
Initially, Zelenskyy—backed by European leaders—rejected the proposal, insisting that Russia must first implement a 30-day ceasefire to demonstrate “good faith.” In response, Trump erupted in a social media post, demanding that Zelenskyy immediately accept the Russian offer.
Next Steps in Negotiations
After some hesitation, Zelenskyy announced that he would travel to Istanbul on May 15 to meet with Russian representatives, adding that they “had better show up.”
“Trump has told people that this war could have been over a long time ago if it weren’t for Europe and NATO, who want the bloodbath to continue,” a source familiar with the discussions said. “If it were up to Trump, the Europeans would have no part in any of this. He remains totally committed to ending the war on fair and reasonable terms. If the Europeans don’t agree, then ‘maybe I should consider bombing London.’”