US to sharply increase pressure on Ukraine to conclude peace deal - Bloomberg
The Trump administration may increase pressure on Ukraine to conclude a peace deal. It may also avoid direct contacts with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This is reported by Bloomberg, Censor.NET reports.
A source close to the Trump administration said that support for Ukraine under Joe Biden prompted Zelenskyy to expect that "the American people will continue to fund the war."
"Zelenskyy is done," he said.
Another Trump administration adviser said that too much had been invested in trying to reach an agreement to end the war to abandon it now.
European leaders, who are already struggling to meet Trump's demands to take on a greater role in supporting Ukraine's struggle and defending it from Russia, now face a choice between trying to help Kyiv on their own and making a deal with the United States, possibly at the expense of Zelenskyy's political future, the newspaper writes.
One of the interlocutors said that Europe will collectively try to "pick up the pieces," but it seems that Trump has decided to sell Ukraine. Some other European officials called the "failure" in the White House an "ambush."
Bloomberg notes that politicians in Europe are now considering how to respond if Trump does try to force Ukraine into a peace deal favorable to Russia.
They are still reeling from the shock of the harsh statements from the United States that America can no longer defend countries that have been its closest allies for seven decades.
The Trump-Zelenskyy dispute
On Friday, February 28, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met at the White House.
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy started arguing and switched to higher tones during the meeting in the Oval Office.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the White House early after meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
No agreement on minerals between Ukraine and the United States was signed in Washington.
