The New York Times reports, citing diplomatic sources.
According to the NYT, Russia is no longer satisfied with a ceasefire. It is demanding a radical overhaul of Ukraine's domestic policy, including a change of leadership, which, in effect, means surrender terms.
Former and likely future US President Donald Trump made it clear on Friday: if one of the parties (in particular Ukraine) "makes the negotiations more difficult," the US will simply withdraw from the process.
“We’re just going to say, ‘You’re stupid. You’re terrible people.’ And we’re just going to refuse,” Trump said.
The US, according to the NYT, developed a plan for a partial ceasefire, including limiting strikes on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea. However, none of the agreements worked - the Russians delayed and put forward new conditions.
At the same time, Washington is paying less and less attention to the Ukraine issue. According to journalists, there is no active discussion of new arms packages, and intelligence sharing may be curtailed.
European allies who met with Steve Witkoff, Trump's representative to Russia, received no guarantees of continued support for Ukraine. Unlike the rhetoric of 2022–2023, today the US is saying: "What will we get?", not "What can we help?".
At the same time, Russia insists that, as part of a possible agreement, its control over Crimea and parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson regions be recognized.
In fact, the United States does not reject a scenario in which Ukraine would be left alone with Russia, and Europe would have to support Kyiv on its own. In such conditions, any negotiations could turn into an instrument of pressure, not compromise.
President Zelensky has already said he will not accept Moscow’s conditions and will not cede Ukrainian territories. But Trump’s statement and Russia’s actions are a signal that “the game has changed,” and the new rules could be much tougher for Kyiv.
