US President Donald Trump has ditched his call for a ceasefire in Ukraine, backing instead Russian President Vladimir Putin’s push for a permanent peace agreement. That has not stopped some European leaders from pushing for a temporary truce first, even though the US president has seemingly decided one is not necessary.

When President Trump was flying to Alaska to meet Vladimir Putin, he said the goal was a ceasefire. But after they talked, Trump aligned himself with Putin and downplayed the need for a truce.