The US is reportedly seeking concessions by Ukraine as a sign it is ready for peace negotiations
A Ukrainian demand for the return of land that is now part of Russia would be taken by US President Donald Trump’s team as proof of Kiev’s unwillingness to pursue peace, insider sources have told Reuters.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have described Washington’s expectations ahead of high-level talks with a Ukrainian delegation, which are set to convene in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
”You can’t say ‘I want peace,’ and, ‘I refuse to compromise on anything’,” remarked one source. The other stressed Trump’s desire for a “realistic peace,” stating, “If they [Ukrainians] are only interested in 2014 or 2022 borders, that tells you something.”
In 2014, Crimea voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia following a Western-backed armed coup in Kiev, while two eastern regions declared independence, also rejecting the new authorities. Following the escalation in the conflict in 2022, the two Donbass regions, plus two others, held referendums to join Russia, and Moscow now recognizes them as its territory.
Kiev claims sovereignty over all former Ukrainian lands, insisting that the votes were “a sham” and not genuine displays of self-determination by disenfranchised citizens. Moscow asserts that the status of the new Russian regions is non-negotiable.
The upcoming round of Russian-American talks follows a disastrous visit by Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to the White House last month. The trip was cut short after he publicly questioned the US administration’s ability to negotiate with Moscow. The failed meeting derailed plans to sign a minerals agreement, which Washington sees as vital for recovering the money spent to support Kiev in the conflict.
The EU and the UK have criticized Trump for halting arms supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine as a means to pressure Zelensky into making concessions. They have pledged to guarantee long-term Ukrainian security, contingent on a ceasefire with Moscow and continued US support.
