New Delhi: As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ready for a high-stakes assembly with US President Donald Trump on the White Home on Monday, joined by a delegation of high European leaders, Trump elevated diplomatic strain, suggesting Ukraine should relinquish claims to sure Russian-occupied territories as a part of any peace settlement.
Accompanied by a pointed warning, Trump posted on his Reality Social platform: “President Zelensky of Ukraine can finish the conflict with Russia virtually instantly, if he needs to, or he can proceed to battle.”
Notably, Trump issued no equal ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he had held a summit simply two days prior, on Friday.
In the identical submit, Trump laid out clear pre-conditions for ending the conflict, declaring: “No getting again Obama given Crimea (12 years in the past, and not using a shot being fired!), and no going into NATO by Ukraine.”
Trump was referring to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 throughout Barack Obama’s presidency, implying that Ukraine would wish to forgo reclaiming the peninsula in any peace deal. His feedback additionally aligned with Russia’s demand that Ukraine abandon its ambitions of becoming a member of the NATO navy alliance.
Some observers interpreted Trump’s assertion as suggesting that, in change for recognition of Russia’s management over Crimea, Moscow would possibly think about withdrawing from different Ukrainian areas it has occupied since its full-scale invasion started in February 2022. Russia presently controls round 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Particular Envoy who attended the summit, instructed CNN: “The Russians made some concessions on the desk with regard to all 5 of these areas” claimed by Moscow.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, additionally current on the Trump-Putin summit, hinted on the negotiation technique throughout an interview with NBC: “The one method to attain a deal is for both sides to get one thing and both sides to offer one thing.”
Zelensky is assembly Trump to observe up on the US-Russia summit in Alaska, which aimed to discover a pathway to finish the continued battle.
Accompanying the Ukrainian president in Washington are key European leaders, together with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen. The discussions are supposed to pave the way in which for a trilateral summit involving Putin, aiming to slender gaps and outline negotiation phrases.
Nonetheless, each Zelensky and his European allies stay firmly against any settlement that requires Ukraine to give up territory.
After a strategic assembly with the European leaders, Zelensky wrote on X (previously Twitter): “Everybody agrees that borders should not be modified by pressure.”
German Chancellor Merz echoed this sentiment, tweeting: “There aren’t any territorial negotiations between Putin and Trump over the heads of Ukraine and the Europeans.”
Following his summit with Putin, Trump additionally dropped a earlier demand for a direct ceasefire, one which European leaders had agreed on, and backed away from threats of “extreme penalties” for Russia if an settlement wasn’t reached.
European leaders are believed to be accompanying Zelensky to make sure he isn’t pressured into unfavourable concessions, notably relating to Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
In February, throughout an Oval Workplace assembly, Trump had publicly scolded Zelensky over his calls for, reportedly saying the Ukrainian president didn’t “have the playing cards” and was risking World Battle III by persevering with the conflict.
Nonetheless, Rubio rejected recommendations that Zelensky was being cornered by Trump, dismissing media hypothesis as false: “They’re not coming right here tomorrow to maintain Zelensky from being bullied,” he instructed CBS, including: “The President invited them to come back.”
Each Trump and Rubio have since acknowledged that the ultimate resolution on any peace settlement rests with President Zelensky.
Regardless of strain, Zelensky famous a key diplomatic achieve from the Trump-Putin summit: an settlement for strong safety ensures for Ukraine, with US participation.
“It is a historic resolution that america is prepared to participate in safety ensures for Ukraine,” Zelensky stated, including that these ensures “should be developed with Europe’s participation” and embrace protections by land, sea, and air.
Witkoff additionally hailed the result, stating: “We agreed to strong safety ensures that I might describe as game-changing.” He added that Putin had agreed to move laws committing Russia to not invade Ukraine or different nations.
(With inputs from IANS)