Donald Trump, the United States president has put fresh pressure on Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, declaring that Kyiv must accept the loss of Crimea and agree never to join Nato if it wants peace with Russia.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said Zelensky “can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” adding there would be “no getting back” Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and “no going into NATO by Ukraine.”
Read also: European leaders to join Ukraine’s Zelenskiy at meeting with Trump
The remarks set a firm tone ahead of Monday’s White House gathering, billed as one of the most significant diplomatic efforts since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The meeting follows Trump’s summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, held under the banner of “pursuing peace.”
European backing for kyiv
Zelensky arrived in Washington early Monday, where he will be joined by key European leaders, including UK prime minister Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte. Together, they hope to push Trump to commit to binding security guarantees for Ukraine should a peace framework with Moscow emerge.
Read also: Takeaways from Trump-Putin summit: No agreement, no questions but lots of pomp
A US envoy said on Sunday that Putin had signalled openness to a Nato-style security pact for Ukraine, short of formal membership – a proposal that European leaders are expected to press during the discussions.
Russian response
Trump’s post drew attention in Moscow. Kirill Dmitriev, a senior aide to Putin and one of Russia’s lead negotiators, reshared the president’s comments online, praising them as “the real solution.” Dmitriev added: “Let problem solving and peace prevail during the Big Day.”
A contested peninsula
Crimea remains one of the most sensitive issues in the war. Although Russia’s takeover in 2014 involved little open fighting, the move was condemned globally as an illegal annexation. At least two Ukrainian soldiers were killed during the operation, which Putin later admitted was plotted in an overnight Kremlin meeting.
Read also: Putin says Russia ‘sincerely interested’ in ending war as Trump vows to brief NATO, Zelensky
The peninsula, home to Russia’s Black Sea fleet, had voted for independence from Moscow along with the rest of Ukraine in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Trump, for his part, has sought to project optimism. “Big day at the White House. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them!!!” he posted on Sunday.
