U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated pressure on Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggesting Kyiv could “end the war almost immediately” if it dropped its pursuit of NATO membership and relinquished claims over Crimea.
Posting on his Truth Social account, Trump declared:
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. 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!!!”
The remarks came just hours before Zelenskyy’s scheduled White House meeting with Trump, followed by a high-level summit with European leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the EU, and NATO. Western diplomats fear Trump could pressure Kyiv into concessions that favor Moscow’s interests.
European allies are expected to reaffirm their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and resist any settlement that involves territorial concessions. They are also seeking clarity on potential U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine outside of NATO.
Arriving in Washington late Sunday, Zelenskyy emphasized unity and determination:
“I am grateful to the president of the United States for the invitation. We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably. I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace.”
The White House confirmed that Trump would first meet Zelenskyy in the Oval Office before hosting European leaders in the East Room.
The talks come on the heels of Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, widely viewed as a diplomatic win for Moscow. Trump defended the meeting, claiming it achieved “big progress” on Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, insisted any peace deal must also provide security guarantees for Moscow.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking ahead of the Washington summit, welcomed Trump’s stated pursuit of peace but stressed that no agreement could be reached without Ukraine’s direct involvement. He also called for tougher sanctions on Russia.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, revealed that Putin had, for the first time, signaled willingness to allow U.S. and European protection for Ukraine under a structure modeled on NATO’s Article 5 collective defense principle — but outside formal NATO membership.
