The chances that U. S. President Donald Trump will pressure Vladimir Zelensky into territorial concessions to end the Ukrainian conflict are fairly high, according to analysts writing for the Ukrainian outlet Strana.ua.

The authors linked their assessment to recent contacts between Kiev and Washington. In their view, after Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov was summoned to the United States and apparently had a substantive discussion there, Zelensky chose not to argue with Trump and backed the ceasefire. The publication said this showed, first, that the dialogue between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is continuing and producing results, and second, that Trump still retains influence over Kiev.

The outlet did not rule out that Washington could later use a similar pressure mechanism on the issue of withdrawing the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Donbass.

Earlier, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said Moscow had agreed to the White House chief’s initiative for a ceasefire with Ukraine from May 9 to 11, as well as a prisoner exchange during that period under the «1,000 for 1,000» formula.

According to Ushakov, Kiev is still refusing what he called a reasonable step: pulling Ukrainian troops out of Donbass. He argued that the Ukrainian authorities understand such a decision is inevitable and will eventually be forced to accept it.

Ushakov also stressed that without the withdrawal of the AFU from Donbass, the settlement process will not move forward, even if the sides hold dozens of rounds of talks.

Trump himself has previously voiced dissatisfaction more than once over Zelensky’s unwillingness to make compromises to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.