Has the moment arrived when Donald Trump abandons the last iota of his support for Ukraine in the war against Russia? Taking to his social media platform, Truth, the American President appeared to suggest so. Referring to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump wrote, ‘He can have peace, or he can fight for another three years before losing the country’.
The latest trigger for Trump’s ire against Zelensky appears to be the Ukrainian President’s firm rejection of any peace deal that included Ukraine having to concede Crimea – illegally annexed by Russia in 2014 – as legal Russian territory. ‘Ukraine does not legally recognise the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about,’ Zelensky said last night.
In his Truth Social statement, Trump accused Zelensky’s comments of being ‘inflammatory’ and ‘very harmful’ to the peace process, insisting that ‘nobody is asking Zelensky to recognise Crimea as Russian territory’ and claiming that the territory is ‘not even a point of discussion’. He went on to falsely state that Ukraine didn’t fight for Ukraine in 2014 ‘when it was handed to Russia without a shot being fired’.
Trump’s latest statement on Ukraine comes after ceasefire talks due to be held in London today aimed at ending the war in Ukraine were downgraded after his US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy in the Middle East, pulled out of the summit. Following the news of their withdrawal, European foreign ministers followed suit, leaving the meeting to proceed with lower-level officials instead. The talks were originally expected to bring together top diplomatic officials from the UK, France, Germany, Ukraine and the US. There had been some speculation that Rubio’s refusal to attend the talks in London may have been triggered by Zelensky’s rejection of Trump’s proposal on Crimea – something the President’s comments appear to confirm.
Witkoff is preparing to travel to Moscow later this week to continue discussions with Vladimir Putin – his fourth face-to-face with the Russian President in four months. Rubio said he would reschedule his visit to the UK.
What the US and Russia want to achieve in the Ukraine war is now fairly clear
Despite Trump’s denial that he is pressuring Zelensky to effectively hand Crimea over into Russian control, this point features in the President’s seven-point ‘final offer’ peace plan that was presented by Rubio to Ukraine and its European allies in Paris last week – and which was due to be discussed today. There is mounting speculation that Russia may be prepared to halt its invasion along the current front line in return for major concessions – including US recognition of Crimea as Russian territory. A report in the Financial Times yesterday suggested that Putin had proposed a freeze in discussions to Witkoff.
However, Andriy Yermak, a senior aide to the Ukrainian President, said that the Ukrainian delegation would attend today’s talks with a ‘very clear, narrow mandate’ to achieve a ceasefire. ‘The path to peace is not easy, but Ukraine remains committed to ending the war.’ Ukrainian and European officials conveyed to their US counterparts that a ceasefire and security guarantees should precede any peace deal struck between Washington and Moscow.
J.D. Vance also warned this morning that Ukraine and Russia must accept the US peace proposals – or face the country walking away. According to Axios, the White House has given both Kyiv and Moscow until the end of today to agree to the terms.
The postponement of the peace summit is a pointed snub by Washington. During his meeting with Putin later this week, Witkoff had been expected to relay the results of today’s discussions with Ukraine. Witkoff’s absence from the talks paves the way for him to continue discussions about Kyiv’s future over the heads of Ukraine’s European allies, indulging the view held by Trump – and almost certainly by Putin – that the only worthwhile talks on the war are those between Russia and the US.
Trump will continue to attack Zelensky and falsely blame him both for starting the war in Ukraine and refusing to end it. It is notable that the American President made no mention of Putin breaking his own Easter ceasefire over the weekend, or the string of missile attacks that have claimed more Ukrainian lives in the past week or so. By accusing Zelensky of making ‘inflammatory’ comments, it is evident that Trump is more preoccupied with being affronted by these remarks than actually considering why Zelensky won’t roll over and concede to Russia’s demands.
Today’s boycott of talks by Trump’s top team makes several things increasingly clear. Firstly, it confirms quite conclusively how little regard the White House has for Ukraine’s interests in the invasion it has spent over three years trying to throw off. Rubio and Witkoff’s refusal to engage with Ukrainian or European officials on any points of discussion apart from those set by the US President suggests they believe they can bounce Zelensky into an arrangement that suits Washington – regardless of the expense to Kyiv.
That Trump’s peace plan fails to even mention Ukraine in every point proposed reinforces the notion that Ukraine’s fate is an annoying addendum to an otherwise lucrative business deal for Washington. The other terms put forward by Trump in his peace plan include lifting all sanctions on Russia imposed since 2014 and the strengthening of its economic relationship with the US – actions that far from helping Ukraine, would end up making it more vulnerable to repeated conflict with Russia.
Secondly, with little indication that Zelensky is going to accept the terms of Trump’s ‘final offer’ before the end of today, Ukraine’s European allies are coming to a crossroad where their pledge to support the country for ‘as long as it takes’ is put to the test. Trump’s threat to leave Ukraine at the mercy of three more years of war with Russia devoid of US support should be taken deadly seriously. Either the Europeans fall in behind the White House and attempt to persuade the Ukrainian President to accept Trump’s terms – highly unlikely, one would have thought, given their pledges – or prepare to step up to the plate and fill the US-shaped hole that will be left in Ukraine’s support – be that militarily or otherwise – once Washington walks away.
Much hinges now on the results of Witkoff’s meeting with Putin at the end of the week. What the US and Russia want to achieve in the Ukraine war is now fairly clear. The ball is now in Europe’s court as to whether it lets them.
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