Impatience in Washington
The White House has publicly conveyed President Donald Trump’s deep frustration with the lack of progress in ending the war in Ukraine, expressing exasperation with both Kyiv and Moscow. In a stark statement on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president is “extremely frustrated with both camps involved in this war, and he has had enough of meetings that have no other purpose than to meet.” She emphasized, “He doesn’t want any more talk, he wants action. He wants this war to come to an end.”
The Sticking Points: Territory and Demilitarization
This impatience comes as negotiations have intensified following a U.S. proposal nearly three weeks ago that incorporated major demands from Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Washington seeks a deal “as soon as possible.” According to Zelensky, the two critical issues remain control of the eastern Donetsk region—the epicenter of current fighting—and the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
The U.S. plan, as described by Zelensky, envisions Ukrainian forces withdrawing from the parts of Donetsk they still control, which would then become a “free economic zone” or “demilitarized zone.” In exchange, Russian troops would withdraw from areas they hold in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions but would remain in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The Donetsk and Luhansk regions, largely controlled by Russia, remain a primary Kremlin objective.
A Major Concession and a Potential Referendum
The idea of a demilitarized zone in territories Russia has failed to fully conquer would represent a significant concession from Kyiv, though it would stop short of formal relinquishment. Zelensky noted that the U.S. has not specified who would govern such a territory. His adviser, Mykhailo Podoliak, appeared to support the concept, telling Le Monde that a demilitarized zone with a foreign contingent would be a “natural format for ending the conflict,” acknowledging that part of the territory would remain under de facto Russian occupation.
Zelensky asserted that any territorial resolution would ultimately require an “election” or “referendum” in Ukraine. He previously stated readiness to hold a presidential vote if the U.S. and European allies could guarantee security for the ballot.
Negotiations Amid a Difficult Reality for Ukraine
The American diplomatic push coincides with a challenging period for Ukraine. The presidency has been rocked by a major corruption scandal involving Zelensky’s inner circle, the military is facing setbacks on the front lines, and the population is enduring widespread power outages due to Russian strikes.
On the ground, the Russian military claimed the capture of Siversk in Donetsk on Thursday, a key barrier protecting the larger cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Ukrainian military command denied the city had fallen, reporting only that small Russian groups were attempting to infiltrate.
A Decisive Week Ahead
“The coming week will be decisive for Ukraine,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated after a meeting of Kyiv’s allies. Beyond the peace talks, European leaders will gather for a summit on December 18 to discuss potentially using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine. The EU has already removed a key hurdle by making permanent the sanctions against Moscow that enable the asset freezes.
As pressure mounts from Washington and battlefield realities shift, the path to ending Europe’s largest conflict in decades appears fraught with diplomatic and territorial complexities.
