President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for rejecting the idea of ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace agreement. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Zelenskyy’s stance as “very harmful” to peace negotiations, accusing him of making “inflammatory statements” that complicate efforts to end the war. Trump emphasized that Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 “without a shot being fired,” suggesting that Ukraine should accept the situation to facilitate peace .
The criticism comes amid ongoing peace talks in London involving U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials. Reports indicate that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, presented proposals that include recognizing Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, beginning to lift sanctions on Russia, and ruling out Ukrainian membership in NATO. These proposals have been met with resistance from Ukraine, which views them as unacceptable .
Trump’s Vice President, JD Vance, has also stated that the U.S. has issued a clear proposal to both Russia and Ukraine, urging them to either accept it or face the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from the peace process. Vance highlighted that land swaps would be a fundamental aspect of any agreement, requiring both nations to make territorial concessions .
The situation underscores the growing tension between the U.S. and Ukraine regarding the terms of a potential peace deal, with Ukraine steadfast in its position on territorial integrity.
