Kyiv, Ukraine – Ahead of their upcoming meeting in the Oval Office, the world is holding its breath for what this high-stakes meeting might result in. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have rejected US President Donald Trump’s terms for a peace plan with Russia.
On Sunday evening, Trump announced his demands. He called on Zelensky to cede the Crimean Peninsula and abandon his country’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). These were conditions for ending the war with Russia.
“President Zelensky can end the war immediately, if he wants to,” he said on the Truth Social platform. There is no going back on Obama’s decision to abandon Crimea, and no entry for Ukraine into NATO. Some things don’t change.”
Zelensky responds rapidly
But the Ukrainian response came quickly. Zelensky wrote on the X platform within 90 minutes: “Russia is the one who started this war, and it must end it. Ukrainians are fighting to defend their land and independence, and we are making progress in Donetsk and Sumy.
He added: “We all want a quick peace, but it must be a permanent peace.” Not as happened before, when we were forced to abandon Crimea and parts of Donbas, for Putin to use as a platform for a new attack. Crimea should not have been abandoned, just as we did not abandon Kiev, Odessa or Kharkiv after 2022.
Despite his categorical rejection of Trump’s conditions, Zelensky tried to avoid direct confrontation with the US President. He stressed his gratitude for American and European support, and said: “I am confident that we will defend Ukraine and ensure its security, and our people will remain grateful to President Trump, America, and every partner and ally for their support.” “
The upcoming meeting comes just days after a two-and-a-half-hour secret meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Although no agreement was reached, Trump said it was a “very fruitful meeting.” He added, “We haven’t reached an agreement yet, but we have a good chance of achieving it.”
Last February, the Oval Office of the White House witnessed a confrontation described as “historic” between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky. The meeting ended with the latter leaving early after tensions escalated between the two parties.
The confrontation began when the two presidents were speaking in front of the media, before their tone escalated significantly.
Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were chatting with Zelensky, before Vance accused the Ukrainian president of conducting propaganda tours.
Zelensky responded by inviting Vance to visit Ukraine, which was not welcomed by the latter.
In turn, Trump escalated his rhetoric, saying: “You are gambling with starting a third world war.. Either you make a deal or we’ll walk away.”
“You don’t act at all like you’re ungrateful,” he added. This is not nice behavior.
