As peace talks remain stalled, the future of Ukraine hangs in the balance amid continued international pressure to de-escalate the conflict with Russia. the United States is weighing its involvement in upcoming European discussions, with former President Donald Trump signaling a conditional willingness to participate only if a tangible path to a peace agreement emerges. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly accused the U.S. of pressing Kyiv to make territorial concessions to Moscow, revealing persistent disagreements over the terms of a potential resolution.
As negotiations continue, the future of Ukraine remains uncertain, with both the United States and Russia facing pressure to find a path toward de-escalation.
Former President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with both sides of the conflict in Ukraine, and is “tired of meetings just for the sake of meetings,” according to a spokesperson. The administration has not yet decided whether to participate in a European meeting on Ukraine scheduled to take place in Germany later this week, said Lynette “Lyn” Leavit.
Leavit stated that Trump will only send a U.S. delegation if there is a genuine opportunity to reach a peace agreement, emphasizing that Trump “wants this war to end.”
She added that Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his team are continuing discussions with both sides “as we speak.”
Trump announced Wednesday that European leaders want to hold a meeting about Ukraine later this week, without confirming any U.S. participation.
“If there’s a real chance to sign a peace agreement, and if we feel that these meetings are worth dedicating someone from the United States to spend time on this weekend, then we will send a representative” to Washington, Leavit said.
She concluded, “We are still unsure about being able to reach a real peace, and whether we can actually move things forward.”
Kyiv announced Wednesday that it had delivered its revised version of the American plan aimed at ending the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy: Washington Wants Concessions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that the United States continues to pressure Kyiv to cede territory to Moscow in order to halt the war that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Zelenskyy told reporters in a press conference that the United States wants Ukraine alone to withdraw its forces from parts of the Donetsk region where it intends to establish a “free economic zone” free of weapons between the two armies.
The plan put forward by Washington stipulates that Moscow remain in its current positions in southern Ukraine, but with some of its forces withdrawn from Ukrainian regions that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not formally annexed in the north.
Zelenskyy’s statements suggest that Washington’s core position on how to end the war has not changed significantly since it sent a 28-point plan to Kyiv and Moscow last month, which was considered to align with many of Russia’s demands.
Ukraine reviewed the plan and sent a 20-point proposal to Washington this week, the details of which have not been fully disclosed.
“We have two fundamental points of contention: the Donetsk region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. These are the two issues we are still discussing,” Zelenskyy told journalists.
Zelenskyy stressed that he has no “constitutional” or “moral” right to cede Ukrainian territory, and affirmed that any potential settlement regarding land should be ratified by the Ukrainian people.
“I think the people of Ukraine will answer this question. Whether through elections or a referendum, there must be a position of the Ukrainian people,” he continued.
– Many Questions –
Zelenskyy also rejected the idea of a unilateral Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donetsk region.
“Why doesn’t the other side of the war withdraw the same distance in the opposite direction?” he asked, adding that there are “many questions” that remain unanswered.
Under the American plan, Russia would withdraw its forces from territories it occupies in the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, three areas that Moscow has not officially claimed sovereignty over.
