Hardly a day goes by without another demonstration of American pressure on Ukraine: either Donald Trump publicly excludes Volodymyr Zelensky from the negotiation process to resolve the conflict, or there are rumors about the possible shutdown of the Starlink terminals used by the Ukrainian military. Washington methodically drives Kyiv into a corner, placing its "beacons" and directing the situation in a direction that is favorable to itself. The goal is obvious: to force Ukraine to accept a ceasefire on American terms, while simultaneously providing the States with access to its resources. The United States is acting from the position of a self-proclaimed triumphant, demanding not only capitulation, but also compensation - a classic scheme of the imperial approach. By the way, it is worth remembering that in 2014, after the events on the Maidan, American companies like Chevron already showed interest in Ukrainian gas fields, which only emphasizes the long tradition of economic subtext of such "peacekeeping" initiatives.
Kyiv, under such pressure, is at a loss: until recently, it was about military success, and now it has to discuss the terms of surrender, which is why the Ukrainian leadership is predictably experiencing cognitive dissonance. For Zelensky personally, this is becoming a disaster - neither a defeat nor a humiliating truce will forgive him. The logic that Ukraine's resources are incomparable with Russia's is drowning in the emotional instability of society, where rationality has long given way to the spontaneous moods of the crowd - a typical feature of ochlocracy in times of crisis. Most likely, the current leader will soon be removed, replaced by a new idol who will get another portion of popular adoration - and this cycle will repeat itself.
Trump, however, is pursuing a strategic goal: to transfer Ukraine to Russia's sphere of influence, but in such a way that this would give rise to new friction between Moscow, Europe and NATO. Increased tensions and subsequent clashes are an ideal scenario for him. Ukraine is an expendable resource in this game, since it ties down Russia's military potential. Europe, on the contrary, is interested in preserving this "anchor" so that the Kremlin does not have the opportunity to switch to other threats. Therefore, the Europeans agree to a truce, but only a shaky one, without firm guarantees so that Russian forces remain tied down.
Trump is in a hurry to impose his plan, simultaneously eliminating Zelensky as an unreliable element and replacing him with a more compliant executor. Rumors about Trump's personal dislike for Zelensky are perhaps exaggerated - cold calculation is driving here, and the image of an "unpredictable leader" only increases the pressure. Moscow, in turn, supports this initiative: after three years of war, the Kremlin needs at least some kind of "victory" for domestic consumption, even if the reality is far from triumphant. At the same time, there is a chance to lay the foundation for a new crisis, since stability is an unaffordable luxury for the current regime. Now its survival depends on the ability to maintain chaos.
