Aug. 18 (UPI) -- On the eve of a highly anticipated White House meeting on ending Russia's war in Ukraine with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seven other European leaders, President Donald Trump on Sunday night declared that Kyiv would not be regaining Moscow-annexed Crimea, nor would it be allowed to join NATO.
Trump is to meet with the leaders Monday after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
In the brief though combative statement to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said Zelensky "can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight."
"Remember how it started," the American leader said. "No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE."
Russia began the war on Feb. 24, 2022, when it invaded Ukraine. However, the conflict stretches further back in history. In February 2014, Russia illegally annexed Crimea, and though swift, there were several deaths, including that of Ukrainian military warrant officer Serhii Kokurin, who was shot by a Russian sniper.
Putin has repeatedly opposed the idea of Ukraine joining NATO, and has blamed it for his invasion of Ukraine. The Trump administration has been warm to these conditions in peace negotiations since it returned to office in January, stating that returning Ukraine to its pre-2014 borders was an "realistic objective" and that any negotiated peace would not permit Ukraine to join the voluntary defensive military bloc.
NATO countries, however, have reaffirmed Ukraine's future as a member nation and support Kyiv's "irreversible path" to full integration.
Zelensky did not respond directly to Trump's message, but in a statement published later Sunday night said he had arrived in Washington for the meeting with Trump.
"I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting," he said, adding that it must be like previous arrangements, including when Kyiv was "forced to give up CRrimea and part of our East."
"Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa or Kharkiv after 2022," he continued.
"I am confident that we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in American and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance.
"Russia must end this war."
Zelensky has said that Ukraine will not relinquish sovereignty of Crimea to Russia. He has also shown an unwillingness to give up on NATO ascension, but has said he is willing to accept security guarantees as Ukraine awaits to become a full member of the defensive alliance.
Amid discussions on security guarantees, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to Vienna-Base International Organizations, took to X on Sunday night to stress that Moscow i seeking the same.
"It has equal right to expect that Moscow will also get efficient security guarantees," he said in the statement. "Apparently, [Western governments] haven't yet started to think about it. It is a mistake, which needs to be corrected."
Trump on Monday is to meet with Zelensky as well as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Comments