Former US President Donald Trump has slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s opposition to a potential peace plan that would see Crimea handed over to Russia, arguing that this stance was prolonging Russia’s “killing zone” and endangering peace talks.
Ahead of critical peace talks scheduled to be held in London, Zelenskyy has categorically rejected giving up territory to Russia. “There is nothing to talk about. This is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said, contradicting an offer made by US officials at similar talks in Paris that would allow Russia to retain control of occupied Ukrainian territory.
Trump: “Why Was Crimea Surrendered Without a Fight 11 Years Ago?”
Trump said Zelensky’s objection was “very detrimental” to the talks, adding, “Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it when it was handed over to Russia without a single shot fired 11 years ago?” Trump recalled that Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014, and that Moscow-backed separatists subsequently launched an uprising in eastern Ukraine.
Trump also claimed that they were close to a deal and that Zelenskyy could either make peace or “fight for another three years before we lose the whole country.” He stressed that Zelenskyy’s statement would “only prolong the killing field, and nobody wants that.”
US Claims “Very Fair Offer” and Uncertainty in Negotiations
US Vice President J.D. Vance said the negotiations had reached a critical point, saying, “We have made a very clear offer to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it is time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to withdraw from this process.” Vance said it was a “very fair offer” that would “freeze territorial borders at a level close to today” and require both sides to give up territory they currently hold. He did not elaborate on the offer, however.
The talks in London were thrown into uncertainty by the sudden cancellation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that only low-level officials would attend the meeting, raising doubts about the future of the talks.
Zelenskyy's Ceasefire Call and Russia's Attitude
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready for any negotiation format that could achieve a ceasefire and open the door to full peace talks. “We insist on an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire,” he said.
However, Russia’s approach to the negotiations remains unclear. Kremlin Sözcü“As far as we understand, they have not been able to bring their positions closer together on some issues so far,” Russian officials said. US special representative Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow again later this week, Russian officials said.
Cautious Approach of European Allies
Some European allies are wary of the American offer to swap territory for Ukraine in exchange for peace, although some have noted that Russia is fully or partially entrenched in five Ukrainian regions: Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson.
France argues that if an immediate ceasefire is achieved, “the contact line should be taken as it is.” The future of the negotiations and the terms of a possible peace agreement are being closely monitored by the international community.
