President Donald Trump criticized Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday for his assertion that Ukraine would not acknowledge Russian control of Crimea, labeling the comments as ‘very detrimental to the Peace Negotiations with Russia.’
Trump expressed disapproval of Zelensky’s remarks regarding Crimea, stating they hinder peace efforts with Russia and are ‘very harmful to the Peace Negotiations.’
Recognizing Russia’s control over Crimea would mark a significant shift in US policy after a decade and could challenge the long-standing post-World War II agreement that prohibits altering international borders through force.
Following Trump’s statement, Russian missiles targeted Kyiv and Kharkiv, resulting in at least two fatalities and around 50 injuries, according to Ukrainian officials.
Trump’s remarks followed a meeting in London intended to address the conflict in Ukraine, which was downgraded after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would not participate. Although Rubio was anticipated to engage with Ukrainian, UK, and European representatives, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce indicated that he withdrew due to ‘logistical issues.’
However, sources from the US and two European diplomats suggested that the decision stemmed from the administration’s belief that the discussions were not at a critical juncture, leading Rubio to conclude that his presence would not be the most effective use of his time.
One European diplomat remarked that it was preferable to allow discussions to unfold naturally rather than create a false sense of an imminent breakthrough.
Zelensky expressed on X Wednesday that emotions were running high following the talks. In what appeared to be a subtle rebuttal to Trump’s remarks about Zelensky’s reluctance to acknowledge Russian control over Crimea, Zelensky affirmed that Kyiv would adhere to its constitution: ‘Ukraine will always operate in accordance with its Constitution, and we are fully confident that our partners, particularly the USA, will align with its firm decisions.’
He also shared a screenshot of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s 2018 Crimea Declaration, which denounced Russia’s occupation of the region.
Earlier on Wednesday, Britain’s Foreign Office had confirmed that the meeting would occur at a lower level. ‘Official level talks will proceed, but these will be closed to the media,’ the department communicated to journalists.
These developments introduce new uncertainty into the diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving Russia’s war. The United States has increasingly intensified its efforts to compel Kyiv towards an agreement, yet Ukraine remains resolute in its stance against relinquishing Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation since 2014, or any territories in eastern Ukraine that were seized following Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
On Wednesday, US Vice President JD Vance issued a warning regarding the potential cessation of negotiations, stating to reporters during his visit to India: ‘We have presented a clear proposal to both the Russians and Ukrainians, and it is now their responsibility to respond affirmatively, or the US will withdraw from this process. We have invested significant diplomatic efforts and groundwork.’
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s European allies, especially Britain and France, are striving to reconcile differences. The discussions on Wednesday were set to follow a meeting in Paris last week, where officials from the US, UK, France, and Germany deliberated on the American ceasefire framework.
Following Rubio’s decision to withdraw from the latest discussions, Bruce announced that President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, would represent the US in London instead. Additionally, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is anticipated to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia on Friday, according to a US official.
The US proposal that has led to a stalemate involves acknowledging Russia’s control over Crimea, the southern Ukrainian peninsula that was annexed by Moscow, according to an official familiar with the situation who spoke to CNN. Additionally, it would establish a ceasefire along the conflict’s front lines, the official noted.
On Tuesday, Zelensky expressed his willingness to engage in discussions with Russia, but emphasized that Kyiv would not agree to any arrangement that legitimizes Moscow’s claim over Crimea. ‘Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea,’ he stated to reporters. ‘There is nothing to discuss. It contradicts our constitution.’
When asked for clarification on whether he implied that the US intended to maintain the current territorial boundaries, Vance responded on Wednesday, ‘No, I didn’t say that. What I meant is that the existing line, which is somewhat near them, is likely where the new boundaries in the conflict will eventually be drawn. This implies that both Ukrainians and Russians will need to relinquish some of the territories they currently possess. There will need to be some territorial exchanges.’
The conflict has intensified this week after a brief ceasefire during the Easter weekend, with both parties accusing one another of violations.
Complex discussions
Discussions in London were arranged as US officials expressed their dissatisfaction with the slow progress in ending the war. Trump indicated that the US would need to see a genuine desire from both parties to conclude negotiations, following Rubio’s warning that Washington might withdraw its efforts if no advancements were made.
A comprehensive framework has been shared with both parties, according to Rubio and the State Department, to assess if the existing differences can be reconciled swiftly. There are still elements of the framework that need to be finalized, and the US intends to collaborate with European allies and Ukraine on this matter this week, as reported by an official to CNN.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Tuesday that the negotiations were “hopefully moving in the right direction,” but she refrained from commenting on what a potential withdrawal from peace efforts might entail for the US. Moscow has previously delayed ceasefire discussions and turned down an earlier US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire that Kyiv had agreed to.
However, under Trump’s influence, both Ukraine and Russia have shown a willingness to negotiate for the first time in years; direct talks between the two sides have not occurred since the initial weeks of Moscow’s invasion in 2022.
On Monday, Putin suggested the possibility of direct discussions with Ukraine regarding a ceasefire to prevent attacks on civilian targets, but he noted that further clarification was needed on what constitutes a civilian target.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later affirmed Putin’s comments, stating that “(Putin) was referring to negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side,” as reported by Reuters, citing Russia’s Interfax news agency.
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