Donald Trump has ruled out Ukraine joining NATO as part of a peace deal. The US President also said that Ukraine would not be able to reclaim the Crimean peninsula, illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014.
In a post on Truth Social which puts pressure on Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump said, “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.”
“Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”
Donald Trump
It came as the Ukrainian President landed in the US for White House talks on Ukraine’s future, which will be attended by key EU leaders. On his arrival, Zelenskyy noted on social media that he is confident of Ukraine obtaining security guarantees with the support of European leaders.
The presence of Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and other leaders alongside President Zelenskyy in Washington is about more than making sure he does not get ambushed in the Oval Office again, in the way he did on February 28, 2025.
They are determined to impress upon Donald Trump two things: firstly, that there can be no peace deal for Ukraine without Ukraine’s direct involvement and secondly, that it must be backed by “cast-iron” security guarantees.
Above all, Europe’s leaders want the US President to see that Ukraine and Europe present a united front and they are eager to ensure he is not being swayed by his obvious personal rapport with Vladimir Putin into giving in to the Russian leaders’ demands.
This comes as Trump is now focused on securing a peace deal without pursuing a ceasefire due to his progress with Putin, Steve Witkoff said. In pursuing this deal, Trump has backed away from his threat of new sanctions on Moscow, despite calls to impose more economic pressure.
It is quite possible that the meeting in the White House later could prove even more crucial to the future of Ukraine – and for a9ll of Europe’s security – than last Friday’s US-Russia summit in Alaska. There was no ceasefire, no sanctions, no grand announcements.
Parameters Of Peace Deal Not In Ukraine’s Favour
Robert English, Director of Central European Studies at the University of Southern California, told a news agency that Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy can expect a “difficult” meeting with US leader Donald Trump in the White House as the parameters of a peace deal are not all in Kyiv’s favor.
He noted that Zelenskyy has been told in no uncertain terms by “Trump… that he is going to have to accept that the territory that’s been lost is mostly lost for the long term.” English added that “any illusions of getting back Crimea and much of the Donbas are over.”
“There’s behind the scenes, a clear understanding that that bitter pill Zelensky will have to swallow. And now we need to focus on security guarantees for Ukraine going forward and make those robust.”
Robert English
Also, the Expert noted that the very fact that European leaders and Zelenskyy are “all there together and trying to reach a common understanding is critical,” but highlighted that the focus in the multilateral talks would likely be on crafting long-term security arrangements for Ukraine without formal membership in NATO.
“As long as they are providing troops and promises to come to Ukraine’s aid, and the US is providing supplies, intelligence, logistics that all together, especially if there’s a kind of an agreement, a treaty that could last years and be renewed indefinitely, that’s pretty close to NATO-like protection and gives Ukraine what it hasn’t had up until now.”
Robert English
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