All right, here’s what’s on tap for the day: A former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine offers his thoughts on the Trump administration’s Russia-Ukraine negotiations, the PKK opens the door for peace with Turkey , and Israel’s Lapid offers his take on the Gaza cease-fire.

Welcome back to Foreign Policy’s SitRep, where we’re enjoying the false spring weather that the mid-Atlantic region is experiencing at the moment but bracing for the inevitable return of the cold.

Welcome back to Foreign Policy’s SitRep, where we’re enjoying the false spring weather that the mid-Atlantic region is experiencing at the moment but bracing for the inevitable return of the cold.

All right, here’s what’s on tap for the day: A former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine offers his thoughts on the Trump administration’s Russia-Ukraine negotiations, the PKK opens the door for peace with Turkey, and Israel’s Lapid offers his take on the Gaza cease-fire.

Can Trump Force Ukraine to Accept a Peace Deal?

During his presidential campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to end the Russia-Ukraine war within “24 hours” of taking office. That clearly didn’t happen, but Trump—who considers himself a master at dealmaking—has still been pushing for a rapid end to the conflict in his first 100 days.

Trump has taken an unorthodox approach to this process, launching talks with Russia without involving Ukraine. When seeking to end a war between two countries, it’s generally helpful to include both warring parties in negotiations.

“I don’t think [Trump] understands just how complex this war is and just how far apart the sides are,” Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said. We spoke to Pifer, a veteran U.S. diplomat with years of experience focusing on Ukraine and Russia, to get his views on Trump’s rapid push for an end to the war and whether he’ll be successful.

In recent days, Trump has been decidedly more antagonistic toward Kyiv than Moscow, including labeling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator” (a label he conveniently seemed to have forgotten about). Trump has refused to characterize Russian President Vladimir Putin, widely regarded as among the most repressive leaders in