US President Donald Trump has declared that reclaiming Crimea and joining NATO are “off the table” for Ukraine, a firm stance he took as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington on Monday for crucial talks aimed at ending the war with Russia. Zelensky, who has repeatedly rejected territorial concessions, is scheduled to meet Trump, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, and other leaders in a high-stakes meeting.
This meeting follows a summit between Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, which did not result in a ceasefire but did produce promises of “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine. After the Alaska talks, to which Zelensky was not invited, Trump shifted to the long-held Russian position that a ceasefire is not required before a final peace agreement is reached.
On his social media platform, Trump posted, “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!!!”
The Path to Peace: Security Guarantees and Territorial Discussions
Zelensky has hailed Washington’s offer of security guarantees as “historic.” Trump said he discussed a potential NATO-style collective defense guarantee for Ukraine with Putin, a promise that would exist outside the framework of the Western military alliance, which Russia views as an existential threat.
Discussions are also expected to focus on territory. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff indicated that Moscow has made “some concessions” regarding the five Ukrainian regions it fully or partially controls. A source briefed on a recent phone call between Trump and European leaders said the US president is “inclined to support” a Russian demand for territory it has not yet captured in the Donbas region. In exchange, Moscow would reportedly “freeze” the front lines in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
European leaders have expressed concern that Washington might pressure Ukraine to accept Russia’s terms. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated, “For peace to prevail, pressure must be applied to the aggressor, not the victim of aggression.” French President Emmanuel Macron added, “There is only one state proposing a peace that would be a capitulation: Russia.” While Zelensky has resisted ceding territory, he has said he is open to a trilateral summit with Trump and Putin to discuss the issue.
