Trump: Zelensky Can End War Immediately Without NATO or Crimea
US president insists Ukraine must drop NATO bid and forget Crimea ahead of White House meeting with European leaders
Twitter
U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “could end the war almost immediately if he wanted”, setting out a framework that excludes both NATO membership and the return of Crimea to Ukraine.
Posting on X on August 17, Trump said: “There is no returning Crimea, which was handed over to Russia 12 years ago without a single shot. And there is no NATO membership. Some things will never change.”
The statement came just hours before Zelensky’s scheduled visit to the White House for talks with Trump, joined by seven European leaders including Germany’s chancellor, France’s president, and Britain’s prime minister.
Trump’s Plan
According to reports, Trump is promoting a deal under which Ukraine would abandon its NATO ambitions and consider territorial compromises in Donbas, in exchange for “security guarantees similar to Article 5” from the U.S. and Europe.
Zelensky and Europe Push Back
Zelensky has rejected any territorial concessions to Russia, signaling he will not trade land for peace. European Union officials reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and pledged continued military and economic assistance.