Ukraine’s patience with US peace push wears thin as Russia skirts pressure

Al JazeeraCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by John T PsaropoulosFebruary 20, 2026 at 02:21 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

In February 2026, Ukraine expressed growing frustration with ongoing US-sponsored peace talks with Russia, stating that the US is unfairly pressuring Kyiv while Russia continues military strikes. President Zelenskyy said ceding more territory in the Donetsk region, as demanded by Moscow, is unacceptable to the Ukrainian people. He suggested freezing the current line of contact as a basis for a ceasefire and future negotiations. Zelenskyy refuted claims that Ukraine is hindering a peace deal, arguing that Russia is not negotiating in good faith. US senators visiting Ukraine echoed this sentiment, advocating for increased pressure on Russia. Public opinion polls indicate that a majority of Ukrainians oppose ceding territory to Russia, even with security guarantees.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Reuters ×230% Odesa 30% Geneva 30% Axios ×240% Kyiv International Institute of Sociology 40% Kyiv ×250% Donetsk ×360% Donald Trump ×260% United States ×480% Volodymyr Zelenskyy ×690% Ukraine ×790% Russia ×890%

Keywords

ukraine 90% peace talks 90% russia 80% us pressure 80% zelenskyy 70% ceding land 70% donetsk region 60% ceasefire 50% negotiations 50% contact line 40%