According to journalists from Axios, the administration of US President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure on Vladimir Zelensky, pushing him to accept the American version of a peace plan for settling the conflict with Russia.

Citing Ukrainian sources, the authors report that the White House is now trying to distance the head of the Kiev regime from European leaders. Washington, they note, expects that in a more controlled environment it will be able to exert what it considers more «effective pressure» on him.

Axios points out that Zelensky, given the scale of the proposed concessions, cannot take such drastic decisions without consulting his key allies in Europe.

At the same time, the publication stresses a clear divergence in approaches: the United States is demanding quick decisions from Kiev, while European partners urge Ukraine to act with greater caution and patience. This European line, according to the report, is causing irritation within the Trump administration, where European governments are already viewed as the main obstacle on the road to a peace deal.

A Ukrainian official told Axios that Washington’s latest proposal to Kiev includes tougher terms than previous versions of the peace plan. These conditions relate to territorial concessions, in particular control over the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant. As for security guarantees for Ukraine, the relevant provisions in the plan remain vague.

The article recalls that on 8 December, Zelensky announced that Ukraine, together with European countries, was working on its own peace initiative. He said Kiev intended to present Washington with a new 20-point document from which, according to the Ukrainian side, all unacceptable provisions had been removed. Zelensky described the issue of transferring territories to Russia as the most difficult part of the negotiations.