US President Donald Trump has said Ukraine can end the war with Russia “if it wants to,” but underlined that there will be “no going into Nato by Ukraine” as part of any peace deal. He also said that the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, would not be returned.
The comments came just hours before Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. The meeting follows Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, where the US leader shifted focus from calling for a ceasefire to pushing for a permanent peace settlement.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that Ukraine’s president could “end the war with Russia almost immediately” if he chose to do so. He emphasized that Crimea was lost years ago “without a shot being fired” and repeated his stance that Ukraine should not join the Nato alliance.
This position comes despite Nato members having already agreed earlier this year on Kyiv’s “irreversible path” toward membership.
Death of ethnic Hungarian in Ukraine ignites sanctions battle — EU and NATO under pressure
European Leaders Arrive in Washington
The White House meeting is drawing an unusually large number of world leaders, highlighting the high stakes involved. Attending the talks in Washington will be Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and several European heads of state and government, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Diplomatic sources say there are concerns among European officials that Trump may try to press Zelensky to accept terms that were discussed during the Alaska summit, where the Ukrainian leader was not present. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed suggestions that Zelensky could be forced into an agreement, calling it a “media narrative.”
The gathering comes after tensions in February, when a previous Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky ended abruptly in disagreement. That clash strained ties between Washington and Kyiv, with Trump accusing Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three.” US Vice-President JD Vance was also present during the confrontation.
Trump says India has reduced Russian oil imports and warns of secondary tariffs
European leaders have been quietly coaching Zelensky to frame discussions in terms of deal-making, a style seen as effective when engaging with Trump. Ukraine has also worked to give the US a stronger financial stake in its future, including a minerals agreement signed in April.
In July, Trump and Zelensky held a phone call that the Ukrainian president described as “the best conversation we have had.” The two had also spoken privately at the Vatican earlier in the year during the funeral of Pope Francis.
Security Guarantees Gain Momentum
Alongside diplomatic maneuvering, the fighting in Ukraine continues. Russian forces currently occupy almost one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory since launching the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Despite the battlefield situation, talks on potential security guarantees have gained momentum. A US envoy, Steve Witkoff, said that during the Alaska meeting, Putin agreed in principle to a possible Nato-like security pact for Ukraine. Such an arrangement could provide protections similar to Nato’s Article 5, which obliges alliance members to defend each other if attacked.
US warns India of higher secondary tariffs if Trump-Putin talks fail in Alaska
Witkoff described the proposed guarantees as “game-changing” and said they could serve as an alternative to full Nato membership, an option strongly opposed by Moscow. Reports suggest that Russia also made some concessions regarding contested regions in Ukraine, though it continues to insist on control over the Donetsk and Luhansk areas of Donbas.
Zelensky Stresses Territorial Integrity
In a virtual summit on Sunday, Zelensky joined leaders from allied nations including Macron, Starmer, and Merz. They pledged to stand united ahead of the Washington talks. Macron stated that their goal was to “present a united front” during the meeting with Trump.
While European allies welcomed news of possible US-led security guarantees, Zelensky reminded participants that the Ukrainian constitution does not allow giving up territory. He added that any discussions on contested lands should only take place directly between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States at a trilateral summit.
Despite optimism around the possibility of progress, Secretary of State Rubio cautioned that the parties are still far from reaching a final agreement.