Donald Trump has put Ukraine’s president under more pressure ahead of crucial talks at the White House, saying Volodymyr Zelensky could “end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to”.
The US president, in a post on his TruthSocial account, ruled out Ukraine joining Nato and would not get Russia-occupied Crimea back under the deal being put forward.
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump wrote.
He continued: “Remember how it started. 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!!!”
One of Moscow’s key demands was an assurance that Ukraine would not join the Nato military alliance.
Zelensky, who has arrived in Washington, said he hopes that Ukraine’s “shared strength” with the US and European counterparts will compel Russia to peace.
“I am grateful to the president of the United States for the invitation. We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably,” Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app after arriving in Washington late on Sunday.
“And I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace.”
Earlier on Sunday Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said said Putin had agreed the US could offer Article 5-like protection to Ukraine, adding it was “the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that.”
In a show of unity, Sir Keir Starmer and six other European leaders will travel to Washington DC for the talks, with the aim of protecting Ukraine from having to submit to Russian land grabs as a price for peace.
European leaders have welcomed US commitments to providing security guarantees for Ukraine, saying “we need the United States on our side.”
Those joining Sir Keir include France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Alexander Stubb, president of Finland.
Nato chief Mark Rutte and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen are also attending.
Zelensky is expecting to face calls from Trump to concede to full Russian control of Donetsk and Luhansk, two mineral-rich regions of Ukraine that are mostly occupied by Vladimir Putin’s forces.
In exchange for these demands, the Russian president would reportedly withdraw his forces from other areas of Ukraine and accept a Nato-like guarantee that Ukraine would be protected from further incursion.
The European leaders have said it is up to Ukraine to decide how it wishes to end the war, and hailed Zelensky’s commitment to a peace that is both “just and lasting”.
Zelensky has previously insisted he could not negotiate Russia’s demands while his country was fighting a war, and said “everyone agrees” borders “must not be changed by force”.
Monday’s meeting will take place at 1:15pm ET (18.15 BST), the White House said in a statement on Sunday.
Trump will participate in a multilateral meeting with European leaders visiting Washington at shortly after, at 3pm.
In another post on TruthSocial Trump wrote: “Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them!!!”
With agencies
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