Sat Apr 12 21:04:55 UTC 2025: ## Divided Approaches as West Steps Up Ukraine Support Amid Stalled Peace Talks
**KYIV/WASHINGTON/MOSCOW** – Tensions remain high in the ongoing Ukraine conflict as the US intensifies its push for a swift end to hostilities, while European nations significantly bolster military aid to Kyiv. Despite repeated attempts, US efforts to broker a ceasefire through special envoy Steve Witkoff’s recent meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin have yielded no tangible results. Witkoff’s third visit to Russia, a four-hour meeting in Saint Petersburg, followed President Trump’s direct call for Putin to quickly end the war.
This diplomatic stalemate contrasts sharply with a surge in European military support for Ukraine. European leaders have pledged nearly $24 billion in new aid, with Germany and the UK leading the contributions. This divergence in strategy – the US prioritizing a negotiated settlement while Europe focuses on military escalation – raises questions about the effectiveness of either approach in bringing Russia to the negotiating table. Experts, including Hanna Shelest (Ukrainian Prism), Glenn Diesen (University of South-Eastern Norway), and Domitilla Sagramoso (King’s College London), are divided on the prospects for success. The differing approaches highlight a growing rift in the West’s response to the conflict, and the uncertainty surrounding its ultimate resolution.
First Piper 