Trump pressures Ukraine into accepting peace deal, claiming it will lose - Wall Street Journal
Negotiations on the terms of a potential peace agreement are continuing, but significant differences between the parties involved could delay the outcome by several months, according to European institutions.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Peaceful settlement takes time
European officials are convinced that the process of agreeing on the terms of a peaceful settlement between the US, Ukraine, and Russia could drag on for a long time.
The White House emphasizes that the United States is not forcing Kyiv to agree to decisions that contradict Ukraine's interests.
"According to the American side, the key differences concern three issues: control over territories, the prospects for Ukraine's accession to NATO, and the further use of frozen Russian assets," the publication writes.
Trump's pressure
At the same time, The Wall Street Journal notes that President Trump has increased pressure on Ukraine, insisting on the rapid approval of Washington's proposed plan. This should strengthen his position in the negotiations, while European partners believe that security guarantees from the US should be the foundation for lasting peace.
Exacerbating tensions with EU leaders, Trump sharply criticized their position, calling it a sign of weakness, and emphasized that, in his opinion, Russia holds the stronger cards in any future negotiations with Ukraine.
What preceded it?
- Trump claimed that Russia had allegedly agreed to his "peace plan," while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had not even read the document.
- Later, the US leader reiterated that Zelenskyy had allegedly not yet read the proposed peace agreement.
Other statements by Trump
- Donald Trump said in an interview with Politico that Russia has a stronger negotiating position.
- According to him, Ukraine should hold presidential elections.
- He also condemned EU leaders for their inability to stop the war and migration.
The US peace plan: what is known
The White House administration has prepared a framework document that is proposed as a basis for ending the war. The first version contained 28 points. The plan aims to call for an end to the war on terms that include compromises from Ukraine, security guarantees, political agreements, and certain concessions.
According to publicly available information, the plan includes, among other things:
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withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from parts of the Donbas region, even those currently controlled by Ukraine;
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restrictions or reductions in Ukraine's armed forces – the first version of the plan proposed reducing the size of the army;
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renunciation of key categories of weapons and reduction of military support from the US;
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equating the Russian language with the status of an official state language in Ukraine and granting special status to religion/the church (mentioning the legalization of structures associated with the Russian church);
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providing Ukraine with security guarantees—similar to the provisions enjoyed by countries protected from attack, if an agreement is concluded.
Following criticism and discussions—both from Ukraine and its European allies—some of the points have been changed: the new version now has around 20 points instead of 28.
Representatives of Ukraine and the US are holding consultations - they will try to "finalize" the text and agree on the basic principles of a peaceful settlement.
However, some of the terms of the plan—particularly territorial concessions and restrictions on the Armed Forces of Ukraine—are considered unacceptable by the Ukrainian side without significant changes.
