U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out both the return of Crimea, annexed by Russia, and Ukraine’s membership in NATO ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Some things never change,” Trump wrote Sunday evening (local time) on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Trump further stated that the responsibility to end the war rests with Zelensky. “The Ukrainian president can end the war with Russia almost immediately if he wants to, or he can choose to keep fighting,” he wrote.
On Monday, just three days after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Trump is set to host Zelensky and several top European leaders at the White House. Participants will include German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Key issues on the agenda include security guarantees for Ukraine in a potential peace settlement and the stance toward Russia’s territorial claims. Trump is reported to have offered U.S. security assurances to Ukraine. On Truth Social, Trump described Monday as a “big day,” calling it an “honor” to welcome so many European leaders.
After his meeting with Putin, Trump shifted away from his earlier demand for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. Instead, he advocated for a comprehensive peace agreement, a position closer to Putin’s, leaving Ukraine and its Western allies disappointed.
Negotiations for a full peace settlement would take much longer than a theoretically quick ceasefire. Ukraine and its partners fear Russia is simply buying time to make further military gains.
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