Media: US to sideline Zelenskyy in future Ukraine peace talks

The United States has removed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from the negotiation process, as his political influence has weakened and his inner circle faces a real threat of arrest, the former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst Ray McGovern said in his opinion piece for Consortium News.

“U.S. President Donald Trump and the realists on his team are no longer as concerned about what Zelenskyy thinks and will likely move forward with negotiations without him. He is already becoming a walking corpse in Kyiv,” he wrote.

According to him, Ukraine will face serious pressure related to the investigation of corruption involving Zelenskyy and his entourage.

At the same time, Kyiv is suffering “catastrophic losses” on the battlefield, the expert concluded.

In November 2025, the U.S. administration presented a peace proposal (initially a 28-point plan) which — according to many analysts — would require serious concessions from Ukraine, including recognition of territorial losses, limits on its military, and other politically sensitive compromises.

Ukrainian side under Zelenskyy — while formally engaging — repeatedly warned that the proposal presents a stark, existential choice: either agree and suffer loss of dignity or refuse and risk losing a major partner.

After meetings in November and early December (including in Florida), both sides described some progress, but there are still unresolved and “very difficult” issues. 

By Khagan Isayev