Zelenskyy says Trump applying undue pressure over Ukraine peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused US President Donald Trump of placing disproportionate pressure on Kyiv as efforts intensify to broker an end to the nearly four-year war with Russia.

In an interview with Axios published on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said it was “not fair” that Washington appeared to be urging Ukraine, rather than Moscow, to make concessions in pursuit of a peace settlement. The interview was conducted by phone while Russian, Ukrainian and US representatives were holding discussions in Geneva.

Trump has publicly suggested in recent days that it is incumbent upon Kyiv to ensure the success of the talks. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, he said Ukraine “better come to the table fast”.

Zelenskyy told Axios that he hoped the remarks were a negotiating tactic rather than a settled policy. He also implied that applying pressure on Ukraine might be viewed as easier than confronting Russia directly.

Despite his criticism, the Ukrainian leader thanked Trump for his mediation efforts and said his interactions with senior US negotiators, including envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had not involved similar pressure. “We respect each other,” he was quoted as saying, adding that he was not someone who would yield easily under external demands.

On the substance of the negotiations, Zelenskyy ruled out accepting a proposal that would require Ukraine to relinquish additional territory in the eastern Donbas region beyond areas currently under Russian control. Moscow is estimated to hold roughly 88 per cent of the region.

He said any plan that ceded further land would be rejected by Ukrainian voters if put to a referendum. “Emotionally, people will never forgive this,” he said, according to the report, arguing that citizens would not understand why they should give up more of what he described as sovereign Ukrainian territory.

Instead, Zelenskyy reiterated his call for a freeze along the existing front lines. He suggested that a settlement based on maintaining current positions could secure public backing in a nationwide vote.

The comments underscore the delicate balance facing Kyiv as it seeks continued Western support while resisting proposals that could prove politically untenable at home.

With agency input