Agencies
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could bring the war with Russia to an end “almost immediately” if he chooses, while ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and signaling that Crimea would remain under Russian control.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said his administration would push for a negotiated settlement, stressing that “there will be no NATO for Ukraine” and that “there’s no getting back Crimea.” His remarks reflect a harder line on Kyiv’s long-standing aspirations to join the Western alliance and reclaim territories annexed by Russia in 2014.
The comments come ahead of a high-stakes meeting at the White House on Monday, where Trump is expected to host Zelenskyy alongside European leaders. The talks will follow Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, which centered on the prospects of ending the nearly three-year conflict.
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According to senior U.S. officials, discussions at the White House will focus on the possibility of pushing Ukraine toward a negotiated peace deal, though no details have been made public on what terms might be acceptable to Kyiv or Moscow.
Zelenskyy, who has consistently insisted that peace must include the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, has not yet responded publicly to Trump’s latest remarks. European leaders are also expected to weigh in on the U.S. president’s position during Monday’s talks.
The war, which began in February 2022 with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has left tens of thousands dead, displaced millions, and strained relations between Moscow and the West. Trump has repeatedly argued that only decisive negotiations can end the conflict, presenting himself as the leader who could deliver peace where others have failed.
