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US former President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of critical talks in Washington, suggesting that Ukraine could end the war with Russia “almost immediately” if it abandons its ambitions to join NATO and reclaim Crimea.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump stated:
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. No getting back Obama-given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and no going into NATO by Ukraine. Some things never change!!!”
These comments came just hours before Zelenskyy’s scheduled White House meeting with Trump, followed by a broader summit involving European leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the EU, and NATO. Diplomats expressed concern that Trump might push Kyiv to accept concessions that favor Moscow.
The European delegation is expected to reaffirm unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and oppose any peace deal that includes territorial concessions. They are also seeking clarity on the security guarantees the US might offer Ukraine outside of NATO membership.
Arriving in Washington late Sunday, Zelenskyy emphasized unity and resilience, saying, “I am grateful to the president of the United States for the invitation. We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably. I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace,” in a message posted on Telegram and X.
The White House confirmed that Trump will first meet with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office before hosting the European leaders in the East Room.
This round of talks follows Trump’s recent summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which many viewed as a diplomatic win for Moscow. However, Trump maintained that the meeting achieved “big progress” on Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, stated that any future peace agreement must include security guarantees for both Kyiv and Moscow.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, ahead of the Washington summit, praised Trump’s pursuit of peace but stressed that no settlement could be reached without Ukraine’s full participation. He also called for stronger sanctions against Russia.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, added that Putin has, for the first time, agreed to allow U.S. and European protection for Ukraine as part of a deal—a security arrangement outside NATO but modeled on the alliance’s Article 5 collective defense principle.
