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US President Donald Trump wants to secure a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia at the G20 summit scheduled for December in Florida, potentially putting Kyiv under heavy pressure to accept a deal, The Atlantic reported.
According to the magazine, Trump sees a potential agreement as the culmination of a series of diplomatic efforts. Advisers to the US president say he hopes to stand between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin as they sign the document.
To achieve that goal, Washington is considering applying strong pressure on Ukraine.
“He is furious with Ukraine and wants Zelenskyy to leave,” the magazine quoted a source close to the US president as saying.
Some members of Trump’s circle also view the war as an obstacle to future economic agreements with Russia. Potential deals include reviving diesel fuel contracts and cooperation on rare earth minerals and other natural resources. Ukraine could be pressed to relinquish its claims to Donbas as part of such an arrangement.
Ukrainian officials are concerned that major decisions are being discussed without Kyiv’s participation.
“We are worried that they see this as a new Yalta Conference to divide the world into spheres of influence,” one senior official said.
Despite its willingness to participate in international summits, Ukraine rejects any ultimatum, the report said. Zelenskyy has confirmed that he plans to attend the G20 summit and is ready to meet Putin to negotiate a fair agreement, but has firmly rejected territorial concessions to Russia.
Washington has repeatedly called for a swift ceasefire, but its demands have often been accompanied by restrictions on Ukrainian military operations. The White House has, in particular, pressed Kyiv to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Moscow has reportedly signaled its willingness to resume negotiations with Ukraine and the United States. US special envoy Steve Witkoff also said after meeting Putin that conditions for a ceasefire were in place and brought documents to Moscow.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian, US and European representatives held trilateral consultations in Norway and developed new peace proposals. Finnish President Alexander Stubb said ideas for a settlement had been identified and would soon be presented to Russia.
