Surrender or Starve: Zelenskyy Reveals US Pressure Tactics for Peace

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has exposed the heavy pressure tactics being used by the US administration under Donald Trump, warning the country faces an “impossible choice” to either surrender territory or risk losing crucial American support. The US-backed peace proposal, requiring land cessions to Russia, is universally condemned by Ukrainian and European officials as capitulation.
The urgency is driven by Trump’s arbitrary deadline, naming Thanksgiving next Thursday as the “acceptable deadline” for Ukraine to sign the deal. This aggressive timeline has sparked alarm across Europe, where leaders view the terms as dangerously one-sided, with concessions that would dramatically and permanently weaken Ukraine’s long-term defense capabilities.
Outside the presidential palace, in a highly emotional address, Zelenskyy articulated the nation’s agonizing dilemma. He stated the country must choose between preserving its national dignity or risking isolation from a US administration demanding Kyiv accept Moscow’s terms. The immediate practical choice, he noted, is between signing the agreement and enduring another “extremely difficult winter.”
Zelenskyy argued fiercely that the deal would be a betrayal, stripping Ukraine of freedom, dignity, and justice. He cautioned strongly against trusting Russia, referencing the historical fact of two invasions. He made a solemn pledge to protect the constitution and never betray his people, invoking the defiance of the 2022 refusal to surrender.
European leaders quickly provided a necessary counterweight, rejecting Trump’s proposed map, which would force Kyiv to abandon major cities and reduce its military. They stood firm, demanding that any durable peace must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and utilize the existing line of contact as the basis for negotiation, explicitly rejecting Russia’s dictated demands.