US President Donald Trump expressed disappointment with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's response to Washington's peace proposal to end the war with Russia. According to Trump, Kyiv hasn't moved quickly enough to review the proposal, even though it was sent just hours earlier. He even said that "the Ukrainian people like" the plan, but the president doesn't. Meanwhile, Trump claimed that Russia is "fine" with the proposal's contents, giving the impression that he is more optimistic about Moscow's response than Kyiv.

This stance contrasts with Trump's tone toward Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent days. Trump described the meeting between US envoys and Putin in Moscow as "very good" and implied that the Russian leader wants to reach a deal. However, from the Kremlin's perspective, Putin emphasized that there is still "difficult work" to be done and said the US plan contains unacceptable concessions for Russia. This means that while Trump spoke positively about the prospects for peace, Moscow itself has not fully accepted the proposal's contents.

For Ukraine, Zelenskiy emphasized that communication with the United States remains ongoing. He stated that he had spoken with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, regarding renewed negotiations and agreed on the steps and format for further talks with Washington. Zelenskiy described the discussions as constructive, though not easy, and emphasized the need for strong security guarantees if Ukraine agrees to any deal. This suggests that Kyiv is cautious about ensuring any peace plan does not compromise its long-term security position.

Pressure on Zelenskiy is expected to increase with deeper engagement from European leaders. The leaders of France, Germany, and the UK are scheduled to meet Zelenskiy in London to discuss US efforts to push for a peace deal, amid Russia's latest large-scale offensive against Ukraine. At the diplomatic table, Washington is trying to establish a "security framework" for Kyiv, while on the ground, missiles and drones continue to attack critical infrastructure. In this situation, Trump's comments that Zelenskiy has been slow to respond to peace proposals adds to the political pressure and highlights the complexity of balancing international pressure, national security, and Ukraine's own public perception. (az)

Source: Newsmaker.id