US-Ukraine peace talks stall over Donbas concessions
One senior European official, speaking anonymously through reports due to the sensitivity of the matter, claimed that “Americans insist that Ukraine must leave the Donbas … one way or another.” They added that US representatives appear focused on addressing Moscow’s demands, while Ukraine continues to insist that any settlement must reflect the present front line.
Ukraine currently retains control of about 30% of the Donbas, including segments of the Donetsk region. As the same official put it, “The most realistic option is to stand where we stand. But the Russians are pressuring Kyiv to give up territories.”
The official also characterized the US stance as increasingly impatient, noting that President Donald Trump recently voiced frustration with Ukraine’s position. On Sunday, Trump remarked that he was "a little bit disappointed" in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asserting that the Ukrainian leader had not reviewed the full proposal and that Moscow is "fine with it."
Zelenskyy, in comments cited in reports, affirmed that Kyiv and Washington remain at odds over eastern Ukraine. He argued that enabling Russian President Vladimir Putin to take territories he failed to seize on the battlefield would simply encourage further aggression.
The European official added, “Maybe Trump also wants it to happen fast, so his team is forced to explain to him they are not the ones to blame for why this is not happening as fast as he wanted.”
Meanwhile, recent statements from Putin asserted that Russia would take the Donbas “anyway,” whereas Zelenskyy has previously estimated that Moscow would require around four years to occupy the entire region.
As negotiations proceed, Ukrainian policymakers say they are waiting for clarity on what security guarantees the US is prepared to offer and whether Washington intends to act as a neutral facilitator or lean toward Russian preferences. Since the escalation in 2022, disagreements over territorial control, security assurances, and the order of political steps have repeatedly hindered diplomatic progress, with Kyiv warning that yielding ground in the Donbas would jeopardize long-term stability and undo gains achieved with Western backing.
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