According to a source in the Office of the President, the team of Donald Trump, who is preparing for a possible return to the White House, made a clear demand to Andriy Yermak: cancel the Verkhovna Rada's decision to ban negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. This decision, which was previously actively lobbied by the Office of the President, now becomes an obstacle on the way to a new negotiating format supported by American partners.
The Verkhovna Rada passed a resolution prohibiting any negotiations with Putin as the leader of an aggressor state, underscoring Ukraine's position on the impossibility of compromise with a country that is at war. This decision was perceived as a symbol of determination and principle, but in the new geopolitical realities, Trump's team sees it as an obstacle to starting a dialogue.
Now the Office of the President faces a difficult task: to find a way to fulfill Trump's demand without losing public support and without undermining his own political position. Given the anti-Russian sentiment in Ukraine, the cancellation of the resolution may cause a wave of criticism, both from the opposition and among civil society.
Demonstrating readiness for negotiations may be part of Zelenskyi's strategy to strengthen US support. However, the question is whether this is a real preparation for dialogue or just an attempt to ease the tension in relations with the Trump team. Political experts believe that even if the parliament supports the cancellation of the ban, the negotiation process will be long and will depend on many factors, including the position of the Kremlin itself.
The response of the Parliament and the President's Office to this demand may become a litmus test for Ukraine's future relations with the United States in the event of Trump's return to power. The decision could also affect the domestic political climate in the country, which is already tense due to military and economic challenges.
Will Bankova agree to make concessions under the pressure of Trump's team, or will she look for another way to solve this dilemma — a question that will remain in the focus of attention of both Ukrainian and international observers in the near future.
