Trump drops bombshell before Zelensky meet — tells Ukraine to give up on NATO, Crimea dream
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump drops bombshell before Zelensky meet — tells Ukraine to give up on NATO, Crimea dream")
(L) Donald Trump, (R) Volodymyr Zelensky, (Inset) Trump-Putin Alaska meet Photograph: (WION Web Desk)
Trump told Zelensky to drop hopes of reclaiming Crimea or joining NATO, saying Ukraine could end the war with Russia “almost immediately” if it wanted. His remarks came ahead of talks in Washington with the Ukrainian President and European leaders.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday (Aug 17) told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to come to the negotiating table without the dream of "getting back" Crimea or "going into NATO". Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said that Zelensky can end the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict with Russia "almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight". "Some things never change," he insisted ahead of the Ukrainian president's Washington visit. On Monday (Aug 18) Trump is scheduled to hold much-anticipated talks with Zelensky and a cohort of European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and others.
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What did Trump say?
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump insisted that "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately if he wants to, or he can continue to fight." Throwing cold water on Ukraine's NATO membership dreams, the POTUS, who recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin, added that retaking Russian-occupied Crimea or joining NATO were off the table. "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!!!" he posted on the eve of a White House meeting with the Ukrainian president and European leaders.
Zelensky expresses desire to end the war as he arrives in Washington
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday night called for lasting peace as he arrived in Washington. In a post on X, he said, "We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably," Zelensky posted on social media. However, in what could be seen as a commentary on Trump's post that Crimea, NATO were off the table, he added, “Peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East—part of Donbas—and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack.”
Watch | Europe promises to stand firmly with Ukraine as Trump-Zelensky meeting approaches
