U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of extending the war by rejecting any proposal to cede Crimea to Russia in exchange for a potential peace agreement.
Ahead of peace talks scheduled for Wednesday in London, involving U.S., European, and Ukrainian officials, Zelenskyy firmly rejected any notion of relinquishing Ukrainian land to Russia. “There is nothing to discuss. It is our land — the land of the Ukrainian people,” he stated.
During similar discussions in Paris last week, U.S. officials are said to have proposed a deal that would allow Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territories as part of a peace settlement. This information came from a European official, who spoke anonymously due to lack of authorization.
Trump condemned Zelenskyy’s stance, calling it “very harmful” to the peace process. “No one is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian, but if he wants it, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago? Back then, it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired,” Trump posted on social media