A Trump advisor stresses that the focus in Ukraine should be on achieving peace, not reclaiming territory

A senior advisor to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump stated in a Saturday interview that the new administration’s focus regarding Ukraine will be on achieving peace rather than reclaiming lost territories, including Crimea.

Bryan Lanza, a veteran strategist within the Republican Party, conveyed to the BBC that Trump’s administration would seek a “realistic vision for peace” from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

“If President Zelenskiy approaches us with the notion that peace is only attainable if Crimea is returned, it indicates a lack of seriousness on his part. Crimea is no longer in play,” he remarked. “If your main concern is regaining Crimea and involving American troops in that effort, you will be left to navigate that alone.”

He emphasized that the primary goal is “peace and an end to the violence.” Lanza added, “Our message to Ukraine will be to assess what they envision as a realistic path to peace. This is not about winning; it’s about establishing peace. It’s time for an honest dialogue.”

In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula following an uprising that led to the flight of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president. Over two and a half years into its comprehensive invasion, Russian forces currently occupy nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy has consistently asserted that lasting peace can only be achieved once all Russian troops are withdrawn and all territories seized by Moscow, including Crimea, are returned. His recently presented “victory plan” emphasizes this requirement and includes an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO, a move that has been vehemently opposed by Russia.

Ukraine has been actively seeking advanced weaponry from the United States and has requested permission to target Russian positions, although it has not called for the deployment of U.S. troops on its soil.

While Russian forces initially struggled to advance on Kyiv, they have recently made gains by capturing several villages in the eastern region.

In June, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin stated that any conditions for peace negotiations would require Ukraine to relinquish the four regions that Russia has annexed, despite not having complete control over them.

During the election campaign, Trump claimed he could resolve the war “within a day,” yet he did not provide details on his proposed approach. This week, following the U.S. election, Zelenskiy and Trump had a telephone conversation that included billionaire Trump supporter Elon Musk, as reported by various media outlets.