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Zelensky Blames Trump for Pressure as Geneva Talks Begin Over Donbas Stalemate

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  • In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier looks out of a shelter near Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.
    In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier looks out of a shelter near Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.
    Image: Newsweek
    In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier looks out of a shelter near Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. Source Full size
  • In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier looks out of a shelter near Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.
    In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier looks out of a shelter near Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.
    Image: Newsweek
    In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a soldier looks out of a shelter near Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. Source Full size

Zelensky’s Accusation of Trump’s Pressure In a Feb 17 2026 Axios interview, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Donald Trump’s public urging for Ukrainian concessions amounts to “undue pressure” on Kyiv [1]. He contrasted Trump’s tactics with those of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, whom he thanked without noting similar pressure [1]. Trump, speaking from Air Force One on Feb 16, demanded Ukraine “come to the table fast,” emphasizing rapid negotiation progress [1].

Geneva Talks Focus on Territorial Stalemate The U.S.-brokered peace conference opened in Geneva on Feb 16, centering on the disputed front lines that have persisted for nearly four years [2]. Russia’s delegation, led by chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, will present Moscow’s claims over Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia [2]. Ukraine’s team, headed by newly appointed official Kyrylo Budanov, traveled by train to Switzerland and pledged to protect Ukrainian interests, rejecting any cession of territory [2].

Proposed Withdrawal and Security Guarantees U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined a plan for Ukraine to pull back from parts of the Donbas to create a “free economic zone,” coupled with a 15‑year security guarantee [2]. Zelenskyy countered by proposing a peace document that freezes the front lines at today’s contact line, arguing such a deal would survive a national referendum [1]. Both sides remain unwilling to make major concessions, with Kyiv’s constitution explicitly barring territorial loss [2].

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Risk and Ongoing Conflict The seized Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, under Russian control since March 2022, continues to pose a nuclear safety threat amid the talks [2]. Recent Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and residential areas have heightened urgency for a resolution [2]. The war entered its fourth year, underscoring the protracted nature of the conflict and the stakes of any peace agreement [1].

Sources

Timeline

Feb 24, 2022 – Russia launches a full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, initiating a war that will last four years and become the backdrop for all subsequent peace negotiations. [27]

Dec 8, 2025 – Zelensky lands in London, meets UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to rally European backing, while President Trump claims Zelensky has not read the latest U.S. peace proposal; the Netherlands pledges €700 million in military aid. [25]

Dec 9, 2025 – Zelensky publicly refuses to cede any Ukrainian territory, saying such a concession would violate Ukraine’s constitution and international law, and notes that the U.S. plan has been trimmed from 28 to 20 points. [28]

Dec 10, 2025 – Ukraine submits its response to the U.S.–drafted peace plan, highlighting a demilitarized zone, NATO‑style security guarantees and a possible EU accession by 2027, while President Trump urges Zelensky to be realistic about the war’s duration and cites an 82 % Ukrainian desire for a settlement. [24][23]

Dec 14, 2025 – Zelensky announces he will drop Ukraine’s NATO‑membership bid in exchange for legally binding “Article 5‑like” security guarantees from the United States and its allies, rejects a U.S. proposal for a Donetsk demilitarized economic zone, and the Kremlin warns of continued Russian missile and drone attacks. [21][22]

Dec 15, 2025 – In Berlin, senior U.S. advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meet Zelensky, narrowing gaps on security guarantees and the Donbas issue; European leaders pledge a multinational force and present an “Article 5‑like” guarantee document to the U.S. Senate. [20]

Dec 20, 2025 – Zelensky calls the 20‑point peace framework “solid,” noting it keeps Ukraine’s peacetime army at 800,000, outlines a path toward EU membership, and contains multilateral European security guarantees backed by a U.S. backstop, while fighting continues on the front lines. [19]

Dec 22, 2025 – Zelensky says U.S. draft proposals incorporate roughly 90 % of Kyiv’s demands, including a bilateral security‑guarantee document that must undergo congressional review, and he outlines a plan for a peacetime army, EU accession and a U.S.‑backed security backstop. [18]

Dec 24, 2025 – Zelensky proposes a free‑economic zone in demilitarized parts of eastern Ukraine, suggests a public referendum on any border changes, and acknowledges that Russia still claims Donbas, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea, making territorial settlement the toughest hurdle. [17]

Dec 26, 2025 – Zelensky announces a 90 %‑ready 20‑point plan, offers to hold a nationwide referendum if the deal alters borders, invites President Trump to visit Ukraine in January to signal momentum toward a ceasefire, and proposes dropping the NATO bid for binding security guarantees while rejecting U.S. calls to cede Donetsk. [15][16][14][26]

Dec 27, 2025 – Zelensky acknowledges several issues remain unresolved—security‑guarantee details, the fate of territories Russia claims, and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant—while the Kremlin says dialogue with U.S. envoys continues after a meeting in Florida. [13]

Dec 28, 2025 – Zelensky arrives in Florida after a Russian missile barrage on Kyiv, holds a two‑and‑a‑half‑hour Mar‑a‑Lago session with Trump that both call “great,” and reports that about 90 % of the peace terms are settled, leaving land concessions and a Zaporizhzhia joint‑run proposal as the remaining gaps. [12][30][11]

Dec 29, 2025 – The United States offers Ukraine a 15‑year security‑guarantee package (Zelensky prefers up to 50 years); Zelensky claims the overall agreement is 90 % complete, both sides discuss a possible trilateral U.S.–Russia–Ukraine format, and Russia continues to reject NATO‑troop deployment in Ukraine. [9][10][2][3][4][5][8][1]

Dec 30, 2025 – Peace talks edge toward a final stage as Russia, the United States and Ukraine negotiate the last thorny issues—full Donbas territory and the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant—while Zelensky pushes for a demilitarized zone policed by international forces and a referendum to validate any deal. [1]

Jan 1, 2026 – Zelensky invites Trump to Ukraine, saying a presidential visit would signal momentum toward a ceasefire; Trump discusses the peace framework with Putin before and after the Florida talks, and Kyiv explores limited U.S. troop involvement as part of post‑war security guarantees. [8]

Jan 3, 2026 – European security advisers gather in Kyiv, receive all negotiation documents, and prepare to move talks to European capitals; Ukraine announces an $800 billion economic‑recovery package and a cabinet reshuffle that makes Denys Shmyhal energy minister and Gen. Kyrylo Budanov chief of staff. [7][29]

Jan 8, 2026 – Zelenskyy states the bilateral security‑guarantees document with the United States is “essentially ready” for finalisation, notes that Paris meetings have resolved many technical points, and ties the next step to U.S. engagement with Moscow and any indication of Russian willingness to end the war. [6]

Planned / future steps

Early Jan 2026 – Paris meetings with Ukraine’s General Staff and European leaders aim to finalize the multilateral security‑guarantee framework and the $800 billion economic package. [7][6]

January 2026 (date unspecified) – Trump plans a follow‑up gathering with European leaders, possibly at the White House, to continue peace talks. [30]

Post‑January 2026 – Ukraine intends to hold a national referendum on the 20‑point plan if Russia agrees to a ceasefire, as repeatedly indicated by Zelensky. [15][26]

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