Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky can immediately end the Russian invasion “if he wants to” by accepting the terms being offered to him, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote ahead of European leaders descending on Washington en masse on Monday.
Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with President Trump at the White House on Monday and will be supported by the presence of a large delegation of European leaders who say they are determined to see Europe’s perspective on the Ukraine War imposed on peace talks. These talks come as comments from Brussels and Washington make clear a gulf exists between the European maximalist position on international law being in the driving seat, and President Trump’s push for ending the killing by gaining concessions.
Russia adds its own roadblocks to peace into the mix, offering a deal with one hand while insisting on red lines and demands that are abhorrent to the other parties with the other. Russia has also resisted so far trilateral talks in the Russia-U.S.-Ukraine format, without which a peace deal will probably remain impossible.
Writing overnight, President Trump made abundantly clear that Monday’s meetings would not be a simple matter of handshakes and photo calls, stating the onus is now on Ukraine to agree to make peace. President Trump said on Truth Social: “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight”.
There is “no getting back” Crimea, Trump said — while noting that it had been effectively handed over to Russia by former President Obama’s limp-wristed response to the little green men in 2014 — and no NATO membership on the table. “Some things never change”, Trump added.
The comments are a hammer-blow to European Union demand-making, which has spent the days since the Trump-Putin meeting on Friday insisting the war should only end on terms they agree with. “International borders must not be changed by force”, a European Union statement at the weekend said yet again, while also demanding “Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO”.
It also appears to be bad news for Europe’s position — which it shares with Ukraine — that a ceasefire must come before peace negotiations begin. Trump indicated over the weekend that he’d not come to that position, and now thinks “the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”
Worse still, it was widely reported over the weekend that Russia’s Putin allegedly offered instant peace and a hand-signed written pledge never to attack Ukraine or any European country again in return for being handed the whole of the Donbas. This absolutely would contradict a frequent EU demand that even if Ukraine gets into a discussion of territory swaps for peace, that Russia be given no further territory it hasn’t already occupied by force. Large parts of the Donbas, which encompass Dontesk and Luhansk, remain under Ukrainian control.
As the European leaders prepare to meet with Trump today, Ukraine’s Zelensky appears to maintain his longstanding position on territory swaps, that his hands are tied because the Ukrainian constitution forbids such a move. Zelensky has already come under fire from President Trump for being unwilling to publicly move on this point, given it could be the key to unlocking peace. However, it is unclear to what extent this is a negotiating position, held to strengthen Ukraine’s hand before it enters the final negotiation, or a sincere red line.
Putin has still not agreed to meet with Ukraine’s Zelensky and continues high-intensity warfare against Ukraine while teasing the prospect of a costly peace deal; factors to European eyes continue to suggest the Russians are stringing along talks to maximise time to make military gains. Responding to Russian airstrikes on Ukraine overnight that killed at least seven, President Zelensky stated just hours before the planned Trump meeting: “The Russian war machine continues to destroy lives despite everything.
“Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts. That is precisely why we are seeking assistance to put an end to the killings. That is why reliable security guarantees are required. That is why Russia should not be rewarded for its participation in this war. The war must be ended. And it is Moscow that must hear the word: ‘Stop’.”
The EU’s Foreign Minister analogue made similar remarks over the weekend when she said of Russia: “Putin continues to drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it. He left Anchorage without making any commitments… the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon”.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Freidrich Merz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, President Alexander Stubb of Finland, Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen of the European Union, and Chairman Mark Rutte of NATO are expected at the White House today.
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