Ahead of Zelenskyy’s meeting in Washington, Trump suggested that the Ukrainian president can end the war with Russia almost immediately if he wants to.
US President Trump took to Truth Social to write about Mondayโs meeting at the White House, where Zelenskyy will be joined by multiple European leaders. โBig day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them!!!โ he wrote.
Soon after, Trump again in a post suggested that Zelenskyy โcan end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.โย He referenced Russiaโs 2014 annexation of Crimea which took place during the Obama administration and declared there would be โNo getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE.โ
Crimea annexationย
The 2014 Crimea annexation followed Ukraineโs ousting of a pro-Russian president after he rejected an EU association deal, a move Russia condemned as a Western-backed coup. Russia justified its actions by citing the need to protect ethnic Russians and its strategic interests. In March this year, Russia completed the formal integration of Crimea.
In recent days, Trump has called on Zelenskyy to strike a peace deal ensuring permanent peace, citing โBIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIAโ without providing specifics.ย
He also noted that Russia offered to freeze front lines if Ukraine surrendered the Donetsk region, an offer Zelenskyy rejected.
While Trump initially pushed for an immediate ceasefire during talks with Putin in Alaska, he later accepted Russiaโs stance that peace talks could proceed without a ceasefire.