Washington, DC [US] – US President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over his recent hardline statement on Crimea, warning that such comments could derail ongoing peace negotiations with Russia.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump referred to Zelenskyy’s remarks published in The Wall Street Journal, where the Ukrainian leader stated: “Ukraine will not legally recognise the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.”
Trump responded sharply:
“This statement is very harmful to the peace negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion.”
Trump’s Response on Crimea and Zelenskyy
Trump emphasized that no one is demanding Zelenskyy to acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory but questioned why Ukraine did not contest its annexation back in 2014. He wrote:
“If he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?”
He called Zelenskyy’s statements “inflammatory”, accusing them of prolonging the war and worsening the humanitarian toll.
“It’s statements like Zelenskyy’s that make it so difficult to settle this war… He can have peace or fight for another three years before losing the whole country.”
Trump reiterated his intent to help end the conflict, adding that thousands of lives are being lost weekly without cause.
“We are very close to a deal, but the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE,” he concluded.
Zelenskyy Stands Firm on Crimea
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy doubled down on Ukraine’s stance regarding Crimea during a press briefing:
“Ukraine will not legally recognise the occupation of Crimea. It is against our constitution.”
This came just ahead of a now-downgraded London peace meeting which was expected to include major stakeholders from the US, UK, Ukraine, and Europe.
US Diplomatic Shake-up
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio unexpectedly withdrew from the London summit. While the official explanation cited logistical issues, sources told CNN that the US did not feel the timing was right for decisive action.
Instead, Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg represented the US at the London meeting. Another envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.
Renewed Hostilities on the Ground
Following a brief Easter ceasefire, hostilities resumed in full force:
- Ukrainian officials reported 9 deaths and over 30 injuries from a Russian drone strike on a commuter bus near Marhanets in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
- Meanwhile, Russia’s National Guard claimed it destroyed 17 Ukrainian attack drones overnight, as per reports from TASS.
As diplomatic efforts teeter and violence flares once again, the path to peace in Ukraine remains fraught with geopolitical complexities—and conflicting visions of how, or whether, Crimea fits into that future.