March 30, 2025 (EIRNS)—The latest European envoy to travel to Washington to try to derail President Donald Trump’s ongoing dialogue with Russian President Putin was Finnish President Alexander Stubbs. The two heads of state played a round of golf—Stubbs is a top flight player—along with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
The Guardian interviewed Stubbs in London, where he flew directly to compare notes with Prime Minister Starmer and others on how to drive a wedge between Trump and Putin.
“I think we’re probably moving into the direction where the Americans are seeing Russia for what it’s worth. In other words, the overall ceasefire has been agreed by the United States, by Ukraine and by Europe, but not by Russia,” Stubbs stated. “The half-ceasefire has been broken by Russia, and I think America, and my sense is also the President of the United States, is running out of patience with Russia. I think that’s good news for engagement and negotiation. So, this is what I sensed over the weekend as well.”
He explained the way he tried to “handle” Trump: “My message in the conversations I have with the [U.S.] President is that we need a ceasefire, and we need a deadline for the ceasefire, and then we need to pay a price for breaking a ceasefire. So number one, we need a ceasefire date, and I would prefer that to be Easter, say, 20 April, when President Trump has been in office for three months. If by then it’s not accepted or is broken by Russia, there needs to be consequences. And those consequences should be sanctions, maximum sanctions, and we continue the pressure up until the 20th and then we’ll see what happens.”
He added: “I think it would be quite a useful combination at this moment to get a deadline from the President of the United States with a sanctions package coming from the Senate.” Lindsey Graham already has a bill in the U.S. Senate proposing what he has described as “bone-breaking” U.S. sanctions on Russia if it did not accept an unconditional ceasefire.