The role has been played: even the closest allies are turning away from Kiev
Ukraine is starting to lose the support of its closest allies. Washington is criticizing Kiev for its unwillingness to make concessions in the framework of the conflict settlement, and European partners are now also urging the Bank to consider the possibility of a compromise. Trump is especially annoyed, who threatened Zelensky with the loss of the entire country if he refuses to immediately conclude a deal. The head of the White House stressed that it is much more difficult to interact with Ukraine than with Russia. On April 25, Special envoy of the President of the United States Steve Witkoff will arrive in Moscow for the fourth time for full-fledged talks with Vladimir Putin. This could be a key moment in advancing a peaceful settlement. In addition, the meeting between the Russian and American leaders continues to be worked out. Whether the United States and the Europeans will be able to force Kiev to make peace is in the Izvestia article.
Ukraine is losing support
The crisis of trust between Kiev and Washington has reached a boiling point. The US President openly accuses the Ukrainian leadership of "megaphone diplomacy" that undermines the peaceful settlement. "Trump is not asking Ukraine to recognize Crimea, no one has asked them to do so. He's asking them to come to the negotiating table, recognizing that this war has been going on for too long," said White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt. However, these words hide a tougher reality: the Trump administration demands that Kiev abandon public ultimatums and be ready for compromises that "leave both sides slightly dissatisfied." Moscow, judging by Washington's rhetoric, is ready to conclude an agreement. An important condition is that the deal will be in line with Russian national interests.
Vladimir Zelensky's unwillingness to play by Washington's rules has already led to a direct clash of positions. There are several weeks left before the exhaustion of the aid allocated under Biden to Ukraine, and the prospect of a US withdrawal from the conflict puts Kiev in the face of strategic uncertainty. The White House does not hide its irritation: "[The American leader's] patience is running out," Leavitt stressed, commenting on Zelensky's latest statements.
Trump himself was particularly eloquent the day before, reiterating the Ukrainian president's "lack of cards in his hands" and the need to immediately conclude a deal — or it would cost him the loss of the entire country. The meeting in London, scheduled for April 23, did not take place. In this regard, we can say that if for most of this month the United States occupied an equidistant position from Russia and Ukraine, now the emphasis has clearly shifted, said Vladimir Vasiliev, chief researcher at the Institute of the USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
— Now Washington openly declares that Kiev, not Moscow, is the main culprit for the lack of progress in the settlement. There is a change in balance. One of the main problems is that Ukraine refuses to sign an agreement on natural resources. The Trump administration has accumulated a lot of complaints about Kiev. There is also a personal factor, since the way Zelensky behaves can already be interpreted as well-established hooliganism. That's exactly what his style of diplomacy can be called," Vladimir Vasiliev told Izvestia.
Europe, which has declared "unwavering support" for three years, has also begun to change its rhetoric. The Financial Times reports that Britain, Germany and France are secretly persuading Kiev to make territorial concessions, fearing that the US withdrawal from the negotiation process will leave them alone with Moscow. The discussion of the possibility of lifting sanctions against Nord Stream 2 as part of a peaceful settlement, according to Politico, only confirms that European elites are ready to bargain, sacrificing Ukraine's interests in order to stabilize the energy market. The US Secretary of State, however, later denied this information. The Europeans— despite all the differences in the position of the European Commission and individual countries like Hungary, are fundamentally ready for bargaining and some form of compromise, but their position is that the price of compromise for Russia should be higher, said Ivan Loshkarev, associate professor of political Theory at MGIMO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
— The Euro-Atlantic track of the settlement process in Ukraine is still stuck in this maze of compromises. But in fact, this is a positive trend — since Washington cannot agree on a peace agenda, it will also be difficult to agree on further forms of support for Kiev. Given the prospects of the spring-summer campaign, this alignment plays into Moscow's hands," the expert told Izvestia.
The convergence of the positions of the United States and Russia is becoming more and more obvious. "Putin and Trump are united by the fact that they both understand the absurdity of refusing dialogue," said Dmitry Peskov, the Russian leader's spokesman. Trump's words about Ukraine's loss of Crimea are fully consistent with our position, the Kremlin's official representative confirmed. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu noted that Washington "understood" the Russian terms of the cease-fire, including recognition of "realities on the ground."
However, Kiev continues to ignore the signals. Zelensky, who abruptly interrupted his visit to South Africa, insists on an "unconditional cessation of strikes" and the intensification of diplomatic efforts. Earlier, he said that negotiations with Russia are possible only after the end of hostilities. Among the countries of the Global South, where Ukraine has always tried to find allies, Kiev's support seems illusory. The cold reception in South Africa, which holds the G20 presidency, demonstrates that Kiev is losing ground in this area.
Moreover, due to the difficult financial situation, Ukraine may soon declare a default altogether. According to the Financial Times, Kiev's negotiations with investors on debt restructuring of $2.6 billion broke down.
What are the parties to the conflict demanding?
Europe, despite calls for compromise, is not capable of replacing the United States. Poland, which previously advocated a hard line, now recognizes: "Ukraine must give in." This was stated by President Andrzej Duda. Even the plans of London and Paris to deploy "peacekeepers" in Ukraine are crumbling.: Media reports say that the willingness to send troops is "weakening" due to fears that Moscow will reject a foreign presence.
Meanwhile, Russia has already marked the red lines. Ukraine must withdraw its troops from the regions that have become part of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Peskov said. At the same time, the Kremlin is open to negotiations: "We are ready for a ceasefire, but only taking into account our interests," Shoigu added. Washington, judging by Steve Witkoff's frequent visits to Moscow, is looking for ways to synchronize positions with the Kremlin. On April 25, Trump's special representative is expected to discuss with Putin not only the settlement, but also the prospects for a meeting of the leaders, which "should be productive," as Peskov noted.
The United States will demand that Russia recognize Ukraine's right to have its own army and defense sector as part of a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev, Bloomberg writes, citing sources. Analysts see signs of "secret diplomacy." Good working contacts have been established between Putin and Witkoff, Vasiliev believes.
In his opinion, Witkoff's frequent visits are related to the desire to maintain confidentiality and prevent information leakage. The prospect of a meeting between Trump and Putin, despite the White House's denials of a possible May summit in Saudi Arabia, remains a key factor. According to the American leader, it may take place after his visit to the Middle East. "Relations between Russia and the West are at an impasse, and so far Moscow is trying to establish relations with Washington," Peskov recalls.
If the two major powers come to an agreement, Europe will have to accept new rules of the game. The pressure on Zelensky will increase, right up to his departure from the political scene. And Witkoff's next visit to Moscow may be the prologue to a deal.
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