U.S. President, Donald Trump has slammed Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statement on Crimea, describing it as “very harmful” to peacemaking efforts.
“Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea,” Zelensky was quoted as saying. “There is nothing to talk about here”.
In his response, Trump said, “It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that make it so difficult to settle this war,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole country”.
“This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia,” Trump said, adding that if Ukraine “wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?“
Trump also rejected Zelenskyy’s red line in the Truth Social post, saying it was “not even a point of discussion,” as the territory was “lost years ago” under then-President Barack Obama.
Back in 2022, Zelenskyy had said that the “Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea — and its liberation,” Axios reported.
He reiterated this stance on Tuesday, shutting down the idea that Ukraine would recognize Russian control of Crimea.
