U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make territorial concessions to Russia in an effort to end the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow. According to German outlet Bild, the White House is exerting intense pressure on Zelensky, possibly exploiting his domestic weakness after a major corruption scandal. The scandal involves alleged extortion of around $100 million in the energy sector by figures linked to Zelensky’s inner circle and has led to the resignation of several high‑ranking officials, including Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk, Justice Minister German Galushchenko, and Zelensky’s top aide and close associate Andrey Yermak.
Bild claims that U.S.-mediated peace negotiations are at their most advanced stage since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, with Trump seeking a deal between Moscow and Kyiv in the near future and setting Christmas as a deadline for a potential agreement. Kyiv has previously ruled out recognizing the former Ukrainian Donbas regions as part of Russia, following 2022 referendums in which the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics voted to join Russia. Nevertheless, Zelensky has hinted that Ukraine may hold a referendum on possible territorial concessions.
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has stated that Donbas is sovereign Russian territory and that Moscow will establish control over parts of the region still occupied by Ukraine. He added that Zelensky has opposed the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the area, despite this being among Washington’s peace proposals. Trump expressed optimism about a potential peace deal, telling journalists at the White House that “other than President Zelensky, his people loved the concept of the deal” he submitted last month, while acknowledging that the process is “a little bit complicated because you’re cutting up land in a certain way.”
The situation remains complex, with Russian forces continuing to advance in Donbas, having recently liberated the stronghold of Seversk. As the conflict persists, the international community is watching closely to see whether a peace agreement can be reached and what concessions Ukraine may be willing to make to achieve a resolution.
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