Donald Trump, the US President, has sparked controversy ahead of a crucial meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington.
In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump suggested that Zelenskyy could end the war with Russia “almost immediately” if he wanted to.
However, Trump also ruled out allowing Ukraine to join NATO or retake Russian-occupied Crimea as part of any negotiations with Moscow.
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump posted. “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!!!”
Trump’s comments may prove to be a setback for Zelenskyy, who is seeking to secure support from the US and European leaders for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
The upcoming meeting is seen as an opportunity for European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, to reaffirm their support for Ukraine.
Starmer praised Trump for his “efforts to end Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine” while also reasserting Europe’s red lines. “The path to peace” cannot be decided without Zelenskyy, Starmer said, adding that Russia should be “squeezed” with further sanctions.
Zelenskyy, who arrived in Washington late on Sunday, expressed hope that Ukraine’s “shared strength” with the US and European counterparts would compel Russia to peace.
“I am grateful to the president of the United States for the invitation,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram messaging app. “We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably. And I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace.”
The meeting comes after a contentious encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy in February, where Trump and US Vice-President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of ingratitude and disrespect.
Trump told Zelenskyy, “you’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now.”
European leaders are keen to avoid a repeat of the public mauling, and the meeting is expected to focus on Ukraine’s security prospects and potential security guarantees from the US.
In a recent development, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to allow the US and Europe to provide protection to Ukraine as part of a deal.
This would be outside the auspices of NATO but equivalent to the alliance’s Article 5 self-defense pact.
Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, said that Russia agrees that any future Ukraine peace agreement must provide security guarantees to Kyiv, but added that Russia “has an equal right to expect that Moscow will also get efficient security guarantees”.