The US President’s administration is insisting that Ukraine should pull back from the Donbas region which Russia partially occupies, sources told Politico.
Vladimir Putin is demanding territorial concessions and EU officials are saying the war should be frozen along the current frontlines.
A senior European official told Politico, “On the territory issue, Americans are simple: Russia demands Ukraine to give up territories, and Americans keep thinking how to make it happen.”
Washington is putting immense pressure on Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky to give up territory to Putin to end the war, despite Kyiv saying this is a red line.
Read more related news:
Brokers warn Black Sea attacks will see cost of war insurance soar for ‘critical trade zone commodities’
An official said, “The Americans insist that Ukraine must leave the Donbas … one way or another.”
Kyiv is rightly arguing that by giving land away to Putin will only see further aggression in the future and the EU official told Politico, “In general, the most realistic option is to stand where we stand. But the Russians are pressuring Kyiv to give up territories.”
The official added, “Maybe Trump also wants it to happen fast, so his team is forced to explain to him they are not the ones to blame for why this is not happening as fast as he wanted it to happen.”
Putin said on Friday during a visit to India that Russia will seize the Donbas “by force” should Ukraine refuse to cede territory.
President Zelensky said on Monday that Ukraine has “no right” to cede territory which will not go down well with Donald Trump or Putin.
Zelensky said, “Under our laws, under international law – and under moral law – we have no right to give anything away.
“That is what we are fighting for.”
He added, “Russia is insisting that we give up territories, but we don’t want to cede anything. We are fighting for that, as you well know.
“There are difficult problems concerning the territories and so far there has been no compromise.”
