Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reports that the administration of Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine to give up the Donbas region in exchange for U.S. security guarantees. The backdrop is a war that has been ongoing for five years, as a new phase of intensified fighting begins. Zelensky says Trump continues to pursue a strategy aimed at forcing Ukraine into concessions in order to end the conflict quickly. During his 2024 campaign, Trump had already announced that he intended to resolve the war before even taking office.
At the center of the demands is the abandonment of the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region, consisting of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas, which are largely under Russian control. Russia also controls large parts of the neighboring regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Zelensky warns that relinquishing Donbas would leave both Ukraine and Europe more vulnerable to Russian aggression, as key defensive positions would be lost.
At the same time, Zelensky criticizes an insufficient supply of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, although he expresses general gratitude for U.S. support. The limited deliveries are linked to the heavy strain on American and Israeli missile stockpiles due to attacks from Iran.
In addition, Zelensky states that Ukrainian intelligence services have obtained evidence that Russia is sharing information with Iran. This cooperation is apparently being used as leverage: Russia is said to be offering to halt intelligence sharing with Iran if the United States reduces its support for Ukraine. Zelensky describes this as blackmail.
Meanwhile, Russia is intensifying its attacks. Within 24 hours, according to reports, 979 drones and cruise missiles were launched against Ukraine, marking the largest aerial assault since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. About half of the strikes took place unusually during daylight hours.
Source: Zerohedge