As diplomatic maneuvering continues over the future of the Russia-Ukraine war, officials from Moscow and Washington have issued statements about the direction of peace efforts, NATO‘s stability and the scope of recent ceasefire agreements.
Here is the daily briefing.
Trump ‘Stopped World War 3,’ Russian Envoy Says
Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev credited U.S. President Donald Trump‘s diplomatic team with preventing an escalation in the ongoing conflict, saying the Trump administration had already made “sizable progress” in negotiations to end the war.
A composite image showing, from left to right, U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A composite image showing, from left to right, U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
AP
“There is no question that President Trump’s team not only stopped World War III from happening but also had already achieved sizable progress on Ukraine resolution,” Dmitriev said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday.
Dmitriev made the remarks amid a high-profile visit to Washington, where he met with officials involved in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. He is the most senior-level Russian official to visit the United States since Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Rubio Reassures Europe on Ukraine Red Lines
In Brussels, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to assuage concerns among NATO allies over Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and NATO cohesion, reiterating that the Biden-era principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” remained intact.
“It was stressed that nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, and of course Ukraine and Europe need to be agreeing to whatever is discussed because this is all happening in Europe,” Kaja Kallas, the European Union‘s foreign policy chief, told reporters on Friday. “So, yes, he was giving us assurances about this.”
Rubio, who led the U.S. delegation to a NATO summit, also called on allies to raise defense spending to 5 percent of their gross domestic product. “President Trump has made clear he supports NATO. We’re gonna remain in NATO. He’s made clear,” Rubio told reporters.
This map displays Russia’s territorial control in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Kremlin Envoy Touts Ceasefire Progress After D.C. Meetings
Dmitriev has also offered a more expansive take on his Washington visit, describing “significant progress” in ceasefire discussions and praising what he characterized as a respectful and constructive tone from the Trump administration.
“Today, numerous forces interested in maintaining tension stand in the way of restoring constructive cooperation,” the envoy wrote on Telegram. He added that these unnamed forces were “deliberately distorting Russia’s position.”
Dmitriev said the Trump administration was “listening to the position of the Russian Federation” and emphasized that American companies were now showing interest in returning to Russia. He also said the talks included cooperation on rare earth metals and restoring direct flights between the countries.
“Some security guarantees [for Ukraine] in some form may be acceptable,” he told Fox News’ Bret Baier.
ISW: Russia Uses Ceasefire Talks to Gain Ground
Despite the diplomatic tone in Washington and Brussels, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russia has continued to leverage ceasefire talks for territorial and strategic gain.
“Russia seeks to leverage ongoing ceasefire and future peace negotiations to seize large amounts of territory in Ukraine and install a pro-Russian puppet government in Kyiv,” ISW reported in its April 3 assessment of Russia’s miliary campaign.
According to the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s 2025 Annual Threat Assessment, which ISW cites, Putin is probably more willing to pursue a prolonged war than to agree to a peace deal that is unfavorable to Russian objectives.
According to General Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the war has distorted Russia’s economy and turbocharged its defense industry, potentially preparing it for future conflicts.
The ISW also noted that Russian forces had continued their advances in multiple regions, including Kursk, Belgorod and Lyman. Ukrainian forces, meanwhile, have registered gains in Pokrovsk, though both sides continue to accuse each other of violating ongoing ceasefire terms.