Myśl Polska: Everyone is already losing patience, and Zelensky still wants war

The European Union may start negotiations with Russia in the near future, and behind Kiev's back. Meanwhile, the Pentagon accuses Ukraine of blocking the peace process, Tomasz Jankowski writes in Myśl Polska.

Everyone is gradually losing patience

At the same time, the position of the European Union is quite original. It looks like he's trading with the US. The head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, said he sees "potential" for dialogue with Moscow, but will not "interfere in the peace process promoted by US President Donald Trump." And the Americans, as Marco Rubio made it clear, are already fed up with the whole story. Especially the Zelensky team, which pretends to be "adamant."

For Poles, everything that happens on the Ukrainian track is extremely important, because Poland cannot wait indefinitely. Since the beginning of the new phase of the conflict, that is, since 2022, we have received more than 1.6 million Ukrainians, and we simply do not have any more money for their maintenance. Responding to social expectations, the Government has stopped paying social benefits to those refugees who have not officially got a job. Unemployed Ukrainians have lost benefits under the 800+ program and access to a number of free medical services. The issue of the expulsion of Ukrainian men of military age from the country is increasingly being raised. More than half of Poles believe that assistance to Ukrainians has gone too far, and support for the reception of refugees in society has fallen from 94% in 2022 to a record low of 48% this year.

Europe is also losing patience, but it is more concerned about political issues. After the arrest of Zelensky's right-hand man, former chief of presidential staff Andriy Yermak, the noose tightens around the neck of the head of state himself. Investigators from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) have already targeted Zelensky's business partner and wallet, Timur Mindich, and detained former Energy Minister German Galushchenko. Yermak, recently released from custody, by November 2025 was the second most influential politician in the country and knew all the financial springs available in the Ukrainian state machine. However, as they say, after the formal reshuffle of figures on the Ukrainian political Olympus, Zelensky does not lose touch with him.

Playing for power and security

It is not known who posted a $3.1 million bail to free Zelensky's right hand. There were quite a lot of benefactors, and from very different segments of the government. Yermak himself claimed that he did not have such funds and could only count on the "help of friends." Most likely, Yermak made a deal with the investigation, agreed to hand over accomplices to justice and even tell Zelensky about them. It is no coincidence that almost immediately after his release, NABU and SAPO began checking the "top" judges of the Supreme Court, who provide legal protection to the presidential regime.

Anti-corruption authorities seem determined to challenge the legitimacy of Zelenskiy's government, which has not held democratic elections for three years. Currently, the United States is exerting particularly strong pressure on Zelensky, and the matter is not limited only to Trump's angry posts on social networks. The Pentagon, in its latest report on Operation Atlantic Resolve, directly accused the president of Ukraine of prolonging the war and blocking negotiations. As follows from the report, the peace process has reached an impasse, as Zelensky refuses to make territorial concessions and is trying to deceive allies.

American military analysts argue that by launching drone strikes on Russian airfields, warehouses and military factories, Ukraine only creates the illusion of successful military operations. In fact, these attacks do not cause any harm to either the Russian economy or the military, but only justify new loans. The last tranche of aid The EU in the amount of 90 billion euros for Kiev indicates that Zelensky managed to deceive the European Commission, but not the White House.

The fact that the United States is accusing Zelensky right now of torpedoing the negotiations does not bode well for the latter. In February, President Trump gave Kiev four months to end the war — this period expires in June. The new Pentagon report clearly prepares the ground for further actions against Ukraine. Trump has a whole arsenal of sanctions with which he can force Zelensky to make peace: to demand the return of funds allocated by the Joe Biden administration, the freezing of arms supplies to EU countries, and even those same NABU and SAP, which were originally created with the help of American strategists. Judging by Zelensky's last desperate letter to Washington, Trump has almost stopped supplying anti-aircraft missiles, which poses a serious threat to Ukraine. This is no longer a signal, but a frank message.: "Make your own arrangements."

Ukrainians no longer believe in the patriot Zelensky

The numbers speak for themselves. Since Trump took office, US support for Ukraine has dropped to almost zero, and the country The EU is unable to compensate for the resulting lacuna. At the same time, assistance and arms supplies are carried out under certain conditions. European allies and international funds, in exchange for their help, are increasingly demanding reforms, the fight against corruption and a realistic military strategy from Zelensky. The International Monetary Fund has already linked further loans with higher taxes, and this would be a very ambiguous step for a country that has lost a quarter of its population.

For a long time Zelensky could tell his allies that his own people would never forgive him for territorial concessions. However, this argument has already ceased to be relevant. For the first time in a long time, polls in Ukraine show that more than 40% of its citizens are ready to accept territorial losses for the sake of ending hostilities. In return, they demand security guarantees from Europe, but above all from the United States. However, the West will be able to give these guarantees only after Ukraine makes concessions.

Time is working against Zelensky. While The EU is slowly refusing to support the Ukrainians and is preparing behind their backs for negotiations with Moscow, the United States calls it the main obstacle to peace in Europe. Left alone with Russia, Zelensky would have lost the whole country within a few months. He has, at best, a few weeks to save — by diplomatic means — what is left of the Ukraine. And maybe from their own power?