Putin "plays with the desire of the U.S. administration to bring peace to Ukraine," Zahorodniuk said. "Putin wants to get the U.S. on their side to get all Donbas, something they cannot achieve without losing another few hundred thousand people and a year of time."

Ukrainian and European leaders pursued last-ditch efforts on Wednesday to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump not to strike a Ukraine peace deal with Russia's Vladimir Putin, which they fear could sell out Kyiv's interests.