US President Donald Trump has once again accused Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of refusing to sign a peace agreement with Russia. Vitaly Portnikov notes there are no objective reasons for such accusations: Zelensky has repeatedly expressed willingness to negotiate, while Russian President Putin has effectively stopped engaging in talks.
Recently, Russia has been targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure, aiming to freeze the civilian population, while Trump has shown little reaction. There is also no reason to believe Putin would accept the proposals agreed upon by the US and Ukraine.
Trump maintains a policy of pressuring both Russia and Ukraine, encouraging the latter to reach compromises likely unacceptable to Kyiv. According to Portnikov, Putin remains interested only in Ukraine’s full capitulation. Attempts to pressure both sides yield no results as Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine the victim.
Portnikov points out that Trump’s statements might be linked to an upcoming meeting with Zelensky in Davos, where security guarantees and US participation in Ukraine's recovery are expected to be discussed. However, such security guarantees may remain purely ceremonial, with little real support from the US in sight.
Trump’s interest in restoring economic cooperation with Russia could influence his stance toward Ukraine. Portnikov emphasizes that current US policy toward Ukraine differs markedly from Biden’s tenure, during which Ukraine received substantial support without such accusations against its leaders.
