U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for rejecting proposals that would allow Russia to retain control of Crimea as part of a potential peace agreement. Trump described Zelenskyy’s stance as “very harmful” to negotiations and warned that the U.S. might withdraw from mediation efforts if no progress is made .
The U.S. peace plan reportedly includes recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, freezing current frontlines, and offering Ukraine security guarantees and compensation. In return, Ukraine would forgo NATO membership and accept Russian control over occupied territories. Zelenskyy has firmly rejected these terms, stating, “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land — the land of the Ukrainian people” .
Zelenskyy maintains that Ukraine cannot legally acknowledge any occupied territory as Russian, emphasizing that Crimea and other territories annexed by Russia in 2014 are integral parts of Ukraine. He has expressed a willingness to pursue diplomatic means to regain Crimea but insists that ceding territory is unacceptable .
The situation remains tense, with ongoing violence in Ukraine and international concerns about the implications of ceding territory to Russia. Further diplomatic efforts are expected, but significant differences over territorial concessions and NATO aspirations continue to pose major obstacles to a comprehensive peace agreement.