Uncertainty Deepens as Ceasefire Hopes Fade in Ukraine
Weeks of intense diplomacy and public statements have ended in ambiguity, leaving an unsettling silence in their wake.
Ukraine had agreed to a full ceasefire—only to see no reciprocation. Russia not only rejected compliance but escalated attacks on Ukrainian cities over the past week, killing dozens of civilians, including children.
Despite previously emphasizing the need to halt the violence, the White House has remained largely silent. On April 7, President Donald Trump commented, “I don’t know what’s happening there,” adding that he was “not happy… with the bombing.” Yet no concrete action has followed to pressure Russia into halting its assault.
In Kyiv, both residents and officials now say they have little faith in a ceasefire anytime soon—or in U.S. efforts to bring one about.
“What kind of peace talks can there be?” asked Oksana, a 47-year-old cashier, after a night of missile strikes on the capital. “They announced a ceasefire on the energy system, then started bombing civilians and residential buildings the same day.” Like many, she believes Russia will only negotiate on its own terms.
President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed this frustration, warning that “pressure on Russia is still not enough.” In an April 6 Telegram post, he wrote: “This is Russia’s way of showing its true intentions—to continue terror as long as the world allows it.”
Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine’s parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, said public sentiment has shifted. “There was hope—maybe before Easter, as Trump wanted—that a ceasefire could happen,” he told the Kyiv Independent. “But with each passing day, that hope fades.”
On April 4, a Russian missile strike on Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih killed at least 20 people, including nine children. Just two days later, a ballistic missile strike on Kyiv left at least one dead and three injured.
According to Zelensky, over the past week alone, Russia has launched more than 1,460 aerial bombs, 670 drones, and 30 missiles of various types across Ukraine.
Merezhko dismissed the idea of a viable ceasefire, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to push “absolutely unacceptable demands,” including halting Western military aid to Ukraine and demobilizing Ukrainian forces. Most recently, Putin insisted on a change of government in Kyiv as a precondition for continued talks.
While Ukraine had accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire in March, Russia rejected it. Despite this, Trump continues to focus on persuading Kyiv rather than Moscow, claiming Putin is still committed to the idea of a truce.
But Ukrainian officials insist Putin has no interest in peace. “He keeps killing civilians, including children in Kyiv,” Merezhko said. “His actions show he doesn’t want a stable or sustainable ceasefire.”
Dmytro Fomin, a former public opinion researcher, noted that Ukrainians have long stopped believing in the sincerity of Russia’s intentions.
“There is no room to discuss a ceasefire,” said Mykyta Poturayev, head of the parliamentary Humanitarian and Information Policy Committee and vice president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. “Not when Putin doesn’t want to stop the war.”
Poturayev also pointed out the uncertainty surrounding future U.S. decisions: “Nobody knows what the U.S. position will be in the long run.”
Peace talks were triggered after Trump announced negotiations with Putin following a February phone call. Since then, Trump's team has met with both Russian and Ukrainian delegations, hoping to shape an agreement.
In early March, the U.S. took a sharp turn, pausing military aid and intelligence sharing after a Feb. 28 Oval Office clash between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Zelensky.
Following the latest wave of Russian strikes, Trump reiterated his call for a ceasefire. “We are talking to Russia. We would like them to stop,” he told reporters on April 6. “I don’t like the bombing.”
Olexiy Haran, a political science professor at the Kyiv Mohyla Academy, said Russia may be intensifying strikes to raise the stakes—and send a message to Trump. “The only way to break the Russian position is pressure,” Haran said. “But Trump isn’t doing anything right now.”
Still, Poturayev remained cautiously hopeful. “Every day, we—the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine—share a clearer understanding of Russia’s real position,” he said.
Even so, those on the ground in Kyiv aren’t holding their breath for results.
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