Stress test no excuse for Kyiv's behavior

The current occupant of the White House has established a reputation for being a master at exerting maximum pressure on others so that they dance to his tune. Such a song-and-dance show is now being played out with regard to the Ukraine talks, as high-ranking members of his administration have continued to threaten a US withdrawal from the talks this week.

On Wednesday, the US leader again lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of jeopardizing peace talks with Russia after the Ukrainian leader said Kyiv would never recognize Russia's occupation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

The remarks from the White House echo previous media reports that the US was offering its recognition of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea as part of a peace plan, which was separately delivered to Ukrainian and Russian officials after last week's talks in Paris. The US recognition would mark a major policy shift.