Trump links US security deal for Ukraine with conceding Donbas to Russia
Zelenskiy orders Rada to prepare for three more years of war
US President Donald Trump explicitly linked a US security deal to Ukraine’s conceding control of the whole of the Donbas to Russia, he said in an interview with Reuters on March 25. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is keeping his options open and ordered the Rada to prepare for three more years of war.
Zelenskiy has on many occasions explicitly ruled out giving away territory that is not already occupied by the Armed Forces of Russia (AFR). He is insisting that Washington sign off on the proposed US security deal, that is part of the 27-point peace plan (27PPP) before he is willing to talk about territories. Moreover, he's insisting that the US deal is approved by Congress, giving it the power of an international treaty that Trump cannot then ignore.
As bne IntelliNews reported, the peace talks appeared to be stalled again as the Trump administration is completely distracted by its war in the Middle East. In a bad sign, Zelenskiy instructed the Ukrainian parliament on March 25 to prepare contingency plans for three more years of war.
Zelenskiy orders Rada to prepare for three more years of war
Zelenskiy instructed Ukraine’s parliament to prepare an operational plan in the event that the war with Russia continues for another three years.
In a national address on March 24, Zelenskiy said negotiations with Russia had yet to produce meaningful progress despite the involvement of international partners. He indicated that Moscow remained unwilling to engage constructively in peace efforts.
“Russia does not want to move towards peace,” Zelenskiy said. “It is crucial that we in Ukraine, along with the US, Europe, and other global players, do everything possible and necessary to make the Russians genuinely interested in diplomacy – realistically and honestly – rather than simply seeking to profit from oil or buying time for further attacks and aggression.” The Ukrainian president also pointed to continued large-scale attacks as evidence of the Kremlin’s position. He said that nearly 1,000 drones and missiles had been deployed by Russian forces on that day alone, highlighting the intensity of ongoing hostilities.
After making significant territorial gains in December and January, the Russian assault slowed down in the last month allowing the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to recapture a lot of lands. They say this may be linked to the pause in negotiations, as Putin typically cranks up military operations whenever he's in talks. There are numerous reports that Russia is now preparing for its spring offensive and bringing in fresh troops and new equipment.
Zelenskiy’s directive to parliament suggests he is keeping his options open, preparing state institutions for a protracted conflict while keeping the door open to diplomacy.
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