Ukraine faces mounting U.S. pressure to strike peace deal with Russia

A Ukrainian official told the AFP agency on condition of anonymity.

The agency's source noted that the territorial issue remains "the most problematic" in negotiations to end the war.

"(Kremlin ruler Vladimir) Putin doesn't want to make a deal without territory. So they (the U.S. – ed.) are looking for any options to get Ukraine to concede territory," the source said.

At the same time, according to the source, the U.S. is pressuring Ukraine, trying to achieve the signing of an agreement as quickly as possible.

"The Americans are pressing, demanding: 'faster, faster, faster,'" the source added.

However, according to the source, Ukraine "cannot agree to everything without working through the details."

• The Axios portal previously reported that during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's conversation with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the discussion of territorial issues was difficult.