President Donald Trump believes that Kyiv will ultimately have to agree to settle the conflict largely on Moscow’s terms, Politico reported, citing a senior U.S. official.

According to the publication, Trump is convinced that Ukraine will have no choice but to accept a deal shaped mostly by Russia in order to bring the war to an end.

Politico noted that the U.S. president is reluctant to step up pressure on Moscow. He reportedly believes he has far greater leverage over Ukraine and America’s European allies.

A former Trump administration official told the outlet that the president has long maintained that Russia holds the upper hand in the war. For that reason, he argued, Moscow should be accommodated in order to bring it to the negotiating table.

By contrast, the source explained, Ukraine remains heavily dependent on Washington for weapons and intelligence support. That reliance, he added, gives the United States stronger tools to push Kyiv toward accepting a settlement.