Ukraine says U.S. is increasing pressure for a deal as the midterms loom

KYIV, Ukraine – As more peace talks are scheduled later this week, Ukrainian officials say the Trump administration is ramping up pressure on them to make concessions to Russia in a push to end the war by early summer.

Ukraine is trying to balance between meeting U.S. expectations and avoiding what it views as unacceptable compromises on territory and other issues. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has expressed frustration that the United States is pushing harder on Kyiv than on Moscow to give ground. But he has also made it clear that Ukraine must do what it can to keep the Trump administration engaged in the process.

Zelenskyy said last week that the U.S. desire to halt the war by June was dictated by the U.S. political calendar. As the midterm elections approach, he said, the Trump administration’s focus is likely to move away from Ukraine.

“Of course, it is desirable for us that the Americans do not leave,” Zelenskyy said of the peace talks. Referring to the June target set by the United States, he said that the Trump administration was “likely to put pressure on the parties according to that timeline.”

Ukrainian officials and analysts say that Russia has shown no sign that it will agree to halt the conflict while it still has the money and troops to keep fighting, and while its forces continue to advance on the battlefield, albeit slowly.

Ukraine and Russia said Friday that the next round of talks would take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Geneva. The two sides met earlier this month in the United Arab Emirates, along with a U.S. delegation. They made little apparent progress toward peace.

It is unclear what the United States is prepared to do if it does not get what it wants from Ukraine on issues like territory and elections. Trump has made it clear that he wants to be able to claim credit for ending the war, and other deadlines set by his administration have come and gone with seemingly little consequence. U.S. officials have remained engaged in the talks as Ukraine has pushed back on Russia-friendly provisions initially put forward by the United States.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.