Media: Trump urges Zelenskyy to respond to peace agreement before Christmas
US President Trump has urged Zelenskyy to make a decision on the peace agreement as soon as possible, preferably before Christmas. Kyiv is currently in a dilemma; they cannot accept the territorial cession conditions, but they also find it difficult to refuse the US demands.
The Financial Times on Tuesday, December 9, cited informed officials who reported that Trump's special envoy gave Zelenskyy only "a few days" to respond to the US-drafted peace agreement. The agreement is believed to have a strong Russian influence, offering territorial concessions from Ukraine in exchange for vague security guarantees from the US.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met with leaders of the UK, France, and Germany in London on Monday. He informed that during a two-hour call last Saturday, Trump's envoy Witkoff (Steve Witkoff) and the president's son-in-law Kushner (Jared Kushner) urged him to make a quick decision. A source said that Trump hopes to reach an agreement "before Christmas."
Informed officials said that Zelenskyy told the US envoys that he needed time to consult with European allies before responding to Washington's proposal. Kyiv is worried that if the US pushes its peace agreement unilaterally without European support, it could lead to a rift within the West.
A Western official described Ukraine's dilemma: on one hand, they cannot accept the territorial cession conditions, and on the other hand, they also find it hard to refuse the US demands.
On Monday, Trump was asked in an interview with Politico whether he had set a timeline for Zelenskyy to reach an agreement. Trump said, "Well, he needs to act quickly, start accepting reality... because he is losing (the war)."
Source: DW
Original: toutiao.com/article/1851139316874240/
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