US President Donald Trump (79) rules out an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine – and instead holds out the prospect of a"peace agreement."

Trump now confirmed that everyone agreed that "the best way to end the terrible war between Russia and Ukraine is a direct peace agreement that truly ends the war" - and not just a mere ceasefire agreement, which is often not lasting.

However, it remains completely unclear what form this agreement will take. Whether Trump and Vladimir Putin (72) discussed specific terms and conditions for it on Friday in Alaska was left open by the US President.

Instead, former Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev (59) commented on the negotiations: The meeting showed that negotiations without preconditions and simultaneously with the continuation of the"special military operation" are possible. By"special operation," the Putin confidant refers to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. This means: One could simultaneously negotiate peace and still continue bombing.

Masala: Peace agreement plays into Putin's hands

► Prof. Carlo Masala (57, Bundeswehr University Munich) told BILD:"By rejecting an immediate ceasefire and instead wanting to negotiate a 'peace agreement,' Trump has sided with Putin. From a European perspective, this is a catastrophe."

Because the war in Ukraine continues."Russia is not backing down from its maximum demands. If Russia wants a comprehensive 'peace agreement,' Putin has made this clear, he demands that the 'roots of the war' be discussed. And from Putin's perspective, these 'roots of the war' lie in NATO's eastward expansion and the way the European security architecture has developed. This will require lengthy negotiations, and the fighting in Ukraine continues."

► Russia expert Prof. Thomas Jäger (65, University of Cologne):"If Putin is now proposing a peace agreement, that's nothing new. Behind it lie Putin's well-known demands: territorial cession, demilitarization, and the complete subjugation of Ukraine."