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President Donald Trump reaches out to shake hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after arriving at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Alaska in August.
AFP via Getty Images
WASHINGTON
Three people have emerged as central players in peace talks between Ukraine and Russia: U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from Huntersville, is one of nine in a group of bipartisan senators also trying to be heard. Their message to Trump is simple: Don’t trust Putin.
As families across the United States gathered for the holidays, Tillis and his eight colleagues focused on a four-year-old child in Ukraine who was killed in a Russian drone strike with six other people.
Putin escalated his war against Ukraine last week with a barrage of drone strikes and long-range missiles, causing those deaths, at least 39 injuries, widespread power outages and destruction across the region.
Zelensky had agreed to a Christmas ceasefire.
Putin refused.
Tillis was among nine senators — three Republicans, five Democrats and one independent — concerned enough about Russia’s escalated attacks that they stopped what they were doing and penned a letter to President Trump on Christmas.
“Today’s decision by Putin to launch attacks rather than hold fire is a sobering reminder for us all: Putin is a ruthless murderer who has no interest in peace and cannot be trusted,” the senators wrote to Trump.
The letter and the attack came after Trump administration officials drafted a 20-point peace plan between Russia and Ukraine and are helping the two countries negotiate the terms.
Can there be peace?
Potential for peace between the two countries be eroding after Russia’s latest attack and Moscow’s allegations that Ukraine led a counterstrike on Putin’s residence in Russia, something Zelensky vehemently denies calling it “typical Russian lies.”
New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, initiated the letter Tillis signed. Describing Putin as a “ruthless murderer” echoes words Tillis has long used since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Shaheen and Tillis both created and chair the Senate’s NATO Observer Group. The bipartisan group, focused on strengthening Congress’ work with NATO, initially began in 1997 but disbanded in 2007, before Shaheen and Tillis reestablished the group in 2018.
Republican Sens. John Barrasso, of Wyoming, and Jerry Moran, of Kansas also signed. Foreign Relations committee Chairman James Risch, a Republican from Idaho, did not, nor did most of the other Republicans on the committee.
To do so would break from Trump, who at times has been supportive of Putin and critical of Zelensky.
Democrat Sens. Jacky Rosen of Nevada; Chris Coons of Delaware; Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Van Hollen, of Maryland; and Sen. Angus King, an independent of Maine, also signed the letter that condemned Russia’s “killing of civilians as Christians around the world celebrated the Christmas holiday.”
“It bears repeating that President Zelenskyy agreed to a Christmas truce, but Putin declined, yet he directs soldiers to continue to commit brutal crimes of aggression on one of Christianity’s holiest days,” the senators wrote to Trump. “Even for countries at war, there is a long history of Christmas ceasefires, including notably during World War I.”
Zelensky warned about a potential attack by Russia the week of Christmas, despite calls for a holiday ceasefire from leaders across the world, including Pope Leo XIV.
Meeting for peace
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marks the largest European conflict since World War II.
On Sunday, following Russia’s attack, Zelensky traveled 5,500 miles to Florida to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to discuss the potential peace plan. Trump also spoke to Putin by phone.
Zelensky told reporters after his meeting with Trump that he agrees with about 90% of the plan.
But the leaders disagree on who should take control one of the world’s largest nuclear power plants. And about the fate of the Donbas region, an industrial giant in Ukraine. Zelensky would allow for that area to be demilitarized, but will not give it over to Russia. Putin wants the Donbas region to be part of his country.
Trump told reporters in a news conference Sunday that issue remains “unresolved,” but they’re “closer than we were.”
Zelensky left without an agreement. Trump said the deal may fall through. But if it happens, he expects it within weeks.
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Danielle Battaglia
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