Zelensky Faces Renewed โคPressure as Trump โShifts Stance on Ukraine Conflict
WASHINGTON D.C. – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky isโฃ bracing for another high-stakes meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump as tensions escalate over โa proposedโ peace plan and a perceived shift in Washington’s approach to the ongoing conflict with Russia. the developments follow a seriesโฃ ofโ events throughout โ2025 that โhave left Kyiv feeling “betrayed” โขand fearing a weakening of โคinternational support.
The โฃsituation โbegan toโ fray in February when Zelensky canceled a planned trip to Riyadh after learning ofโข a previously undisclosed meeting between Russian Foreign Minister sergei Lavrov and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. Thisโค meeting marked the โขfirst instance of Washingtonโ reopening channels for direct engagement โฃwith Moscow sinceโฃ the start of the war. โ
Further straining relations, in August, Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putinโฃ for a summitโค in โขAlaska, complete with fullโฃ state honors – a move criticized for treating a leaderโ wanted by the international Criminal Court as a legitimate world figure.
Throughout โฃthe autumn, Trumpโฃ reportedly adopted a “carrot and stick” โapproach, with pressure mounting on Zelensky to concede territory to Russia. During โan โOctober meeting at the White House, Trump, alongside advisors Witkoff and Dmitriev, allegedly urged Zelensky to accept Putin’s conditions to prevent further destruction of Ukraine. This followed a phone conversationโค between Trump and โPutin, with discussions centering on a potential new summit โขin Hungary.
However,aโ turning point appeared โto occur in lateโ October. For the first time, Trump publicly challenged Putin, suspending plans forโ the Budapest summit and approving โขthe first sanctions against โthe Russian economy โขof his mandate. Simultaneously, Dmitrievโ and Witkoff began negotiating a 28-point โpeace plan that has sparked controversy across Europe.
European diplomatic efforts are now โฃfocusedโ on persuading Washington to prioritize a ceasefire as a precondition for anyโ peace negotiations.โ Zelensky is preparing to navigate these complex dynamics in an upcoming face-to-face meeting with trump, seeking โto safeguard โฃUkraine’s interests amid a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
