U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that he is no longer pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, signaling another shift in Washington’s approach to the nearly three-year conflict.
Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the prime minister’s countryside retreat, Chequers, Trump remarked: “Now is not the time to demand a ceasefire from Putin. If necessary, I will resort to tough measures. We must continue to drive oil prices down—if oil prices fall, the war between Russia and Ukraine will end.”
The comments reflect Trump’s current strategy of attempting to weaken Moscow by targeting its oil revenues through sanctions and trade restrictions on Russia’s partners. European leaders have broadly supported this approach, though some remain skeptical that economic pressure alone can force Russia to end the war.
Trump, who campaigned on the promise that he would end the Ukraine war within 24 hours, has since admitted that the conflict is more complex than he initially believed. Earlier this year, he pushed for an unconditional ceasefire, a proposal that Moscow flatly rejected. Trump later abandoned that demand following his August 15 summit with Putin in Alaska. Reports in Russian media suggested that dropping the ceasefire condition was one of Moscow’s prerequisites for attending the meeting.
At Chequers, Trump expressed both disappointment and confidence in his dealings with Putin: “Putin has let me down. But very simply, if the price of oil comes down, Putin is going to drop out. He’s going to have no choice.”
Observers note that Trump has repeatedly cycled between optimism and frustration throughout his negotiations with Moscow. Since March, he has alternated between promising a deal within “two weeks,” threatening to walk away, and then returning to the table.
So far, Trump’s focus on strangling Russia’s oil revenues has had limited impact. His decision to impose a 50% tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil only drove New Delhi closer to Moscow and Beijing. At this month’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, leaders of Russia, India, and China showcased deepening ties, undercutting Washington’s leverage.
Trump has also demanded via Truth Social that all NATO members cut themselves off from Russian energy and join in sanctioning Russia’s trade partners—a move most allies are unlikely to endorse. With no ceasefire in sight, Washington’s strategy under Trump continues to hinge on pressuring Russia economically while keeping negotiations alive, albeit on uncertain terms.