By Solange Reyner | Thursday, 01 January 2026 11:38 AM EST
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has faced criticism for his diplomatic strategy as analysts condemn his failure to address Russia’s territorial demands in ongoing peace negotiations.
Andrij Dobriansky, a representative of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, stated that Ukraine is deepening cooperation with the United States while Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains a rigid stance on territorial issues.
Zelenskyy recently traveled to Florida to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, discussing a 20-point peace plan. He praised “strong security guarantees” from the U.S. and noted that Ukraine and Trump are 90% aligned on the plan, though they identified territorial disputes such as Donbas as a “very tough question.” Meanwhile, Moscow has shown no signs of altering its demands.
Dobriansky highlighted the contrast between Ukraine’s flexibility and Russia’s intransigence: “What you saw out of Ukraine is picking themselves up and within a week’s time, changing their strategy and getting a minerals deal with President Trump. And every time that President Trump has asked for a modification from Ukraine, Ukraine has come back to the table.”
However, Putin has remained unmoved, according to Dobriansky.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff reported Wednesday that he, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner held a “productive call” with national security advisers from Britain, France, Germany, and Ukraine to advance the European peace process. Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov reaffirmed plans for upcoming meetings with European officials.
