Trump is amplifying efforts for a peace agreement during a sensitive period for Zelenskyy, who is managing a corruption scandal, which plays into U.S. strategists’ plans. U.S. officials believe Zelenskyy’s domestic challenges could lead him to agree to their conditions.
Zelenskyy remarked on Friday about his country confronting one of its hardest times and the need to choose between “dignity” and “a key partner.”
Thursday deadline
Putin has endorsed Trump’s plan, which includes unfreezing Russian assets in Europe, preparing avenues for profitable reconstruction benefiting America. The U.S. plan also outlines potential future Russian-American collaborations post-peace.
Adding to Brussels’ concerns, Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s pro-Putin leader, also supported the U.S. plan.
The consequences are unclear if Ukraine doesn’t comply with the deal by Trump’s Thursday deadline. European officials observe Trump has often set deadlines — on Putin and trade partners — that lapse without repercussions. One possibility is suspending intelligence sharing with Ukraine’s military; a tactic Trump has used before and later reversed.
Europeans are frustrated over their exclusion, and Ukraine’s, from Trump’s peace accord drafting, led by envoy Steve Witkoff. EU officials argue that Europe, being a larger donor than the U.S. to Ukraine’s military, should not be sidelined in negotiations.
For von der Leyen, Starmer, and other leaders, a deal cannot bypass Zelenskyy. European voices describe the 28-point plan as “scandalous” and suggest Witkoff needs “a psychiatrist” if he believes it will succeed.
This article has been updated.
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