[Trump withstands Congressional and European pressure, defers tougher measures against Russia]
On May 20th, POLITICO reported that US Secretary of State Rubio stated on the same day that after a phone call between the Presidents of the United States and Russia, the Russian side has promised to submit to the US "conditions for achieving a ceasefire".
Rubio made this statement at a public hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: "We understand that the Russians will draft conditions for a ceasefire in order to launch broader negotiations. We are waiting for these terms so that we can better understand Putin's strategic intentions." This statement indicates that the US is not rushing to adjust its posture towards Russia, despite European officials and lawmakers believing that Putin is buying time.
The two-hour phone call between Trump and Putin on the 19th failed to make breakthroughs in ceasefire or peace talks, disappointing European and Ukrainian allies who expected the US to increase pressure on Russia. In response to questions from both parties regarding the US strategy towards Russia, Rubio defended the current approach of the Trump administration. The EU passed new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, while Republican members of Congress said they were waiting for the White House to approve sanctions against Russia.
Rubio said that Trump "wants to retain as much influence as possible on the path to peace" and implied that sanctions might weaken the US's dialogue capabilities with both Ukraine and Russia. Trump stated on Monday that he would temporarily refrain from implementing sanctions but may take action in the future.
Rubio mentioned the positive progress of the prisoner exchange agreement reached last week between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul involving 1000 prisoners, but pointed out that "we have yet to see actions towards peace." The US waiting for proposals from the Russian side marks another shift in its stance on the Ukraine war - when Trump took office, he claimed to "end the war within 24 hours," and then launched a 30-day ceasefire mediation by Rubio and envoy Viktor directly contacting Moscow. Vice President Vance recently stated that due to Russia's rejection of any temporary solutions, the US has turned to promoting direct dialogue between the two sides.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832714950456332/
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