Finland Proposes April 20 Ukraine Ceasefire Deadline in Talks With Trump

Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that he proposed April 20 as the date for a complete ceasefire in Ukraine during a recent visit to the United States, where he discussed the matter with Donald Trump.

This was reported by Finnish broadcaster Yle on March 31, citing Stubb’s statement during a press conference in London.

“Why 20 April? Because we need a deadline. Because it’s Easter. And because President Trump will have been in office for three months,” the Finnish president explained.

He stated that if Russia refuses to agree to a truce, or violates one, a robust sanctions mechanism will be essential. Stubb added that the United States is already preparing such measures.

“We also discussed this with President Trump and Senator Lindsey Graham, the architect of the sanctions package. He will soon present it with the support of fifty senators in the United States,” Stubb added.

Stubb stated that Trump’s patience is also running out.

“He is quite impatient with Russia’s actions, and this kind of scheming and delaying regarding the ceasefire. I myself tried to explain that this is completely normal Russian action. First, we negotiate something, and then conditions are set once again,” Stubb said.

According to NBC News on March 30, Trump expressed frustration with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin during a private conversation with NBC anchor Kristen Welker. “Just a few hours ago, President Trump called me and said he was ‘angry’ at Putin and threatened to impose additional tariffs on Russian oil,” Welker stated.

In March, several rounds of talks between the US, Ukraine, and Russia took place in Saudi Arabia, with the main focus on a potential ceasefire.

The negotiations followed a “shuttle diplomacy” format, with the American delegation holding separate discussions with the Ukrainian and Russian sides.