US-Ukrainian relations have been decisively tense since the now infamous showdown in the White House Oval Office, with President Trump making the controversial decision to pause military aid and intelligence to Ukraine, both of which had proved vital in fending off Russia’s ongoing attacks on the country.
Zelenskyy responded to the decision by sending a letter to the White House thanking the US for its support in helping Ukraine ‘maintain its sovereignty and independence’ and reaffirming his willingness to be involved in negotiating a peace process.
But it would now seem that Trump is looking to capitalise on forcing Ukraine into a corner and issued a fresh set of demands to Zelenskyy; with a US official revealing that a signed minerals deal, which allows the US to benefit from Ukraine’s natural resources, is no longer enough for aid to be resumed.
Speaking to NBC ahead of peace talks between American and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia, the official claimed that Trump wants to see Zelenskyy change his approach to peace talks and potentially even step down as president.
The comments follow Trump’s shocking statement to Fox News that he believes Ukraine ‘may not survive’ the ongoing war even with US backing.
Relations between Ukraine and the USA are currently strained (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
According to the source, Trump wants to see the Ukrainian leader demonstrate a willingness to concede Ukrainian territory to Russia, begin the process of holding elections in Ukraine and possibly stepping down as the country’s leader.
This isn’t the first time that Trump has mentioned the topic of elections in Ukraine, with the 78-year-old previously branding Zelenskyy a ‘dictator without elections’.
Zelenskyy’s presidential term expired in May 2024, however, the Ukrainian constitution prohibits the holding of elections while the country is under martial law, which was declared following Russia’s February 2022 invasion. This would mean that a permanent ceasefire would need to be agreed between the two countries before Ukrainians can head to the polls. This stance has also been backed by senior opposition figures in Ukraine, amid reports of talks between the US and key Zelenskyy opponents.
Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine (Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
It’s also unclear how an election would feasibly work while Russian military forces continue to occupy and attack Ukraine’s eastern and southern provinces.
As Trump continues to pile the pressure on Zelenskyy, Russia has used the pause in military aid and intelligence to their advantage and ramped up attacks on Ukraine, with recent airstrikes killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens of others in the eastern oblast of Donetsk.
