From: Transform Ukraine By Douglas Landro / April 19, 2025
As US Threatens to “Take a Pass” on Peace Talks, Russia Ends Energy Truce While Kharkiv Bleeds and POW Exchange Materializes
Summary of the Day – April 18, 2025
Russia’s missiles struck Kharkiv on Good Friday, killing one and wounding 112, as the Kremlin announced the expiration of its repeatedly violated energy infrastructure ceasefire. President Trump delivered his starkest ultimatum, threatening to walk away from peace negotiations unless progress emerges within days. “You’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people,” he said of those blocking a deal, while Secretary Rubio described Ukraine’s war as “terrible, but not our war.” Meanwhile, Ukraine repatriated the bodies of 909 fallen defenders, and preparations advanced for a major prisoner exchange of nearly 500 captives scheduled for April 19.
“You’re Fools”: Trump Issues Ultimatum on Peace Negotiations
President Donald Trump delivered his most explicit threat yet to abandon mediation efforts between Ukraine and Russia, telling reporters in the Oval Office that Washington would “take a pass” if either side makes a peace deal too difficult to achieve.
“If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say: ‘you’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people,’ and we’re just going to take a pass,” Trump declared, though he added, “hopefully we won’t have to do that.”
The statement reinforced earlier remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who warned after meetings with European and Ukrainian officials in Paris that the administration is prepared to walk away from peace efforts within “days, not weeks” if substantial progress isn’t made.
Voice of Ukraine 