Trump accuses Zelensky of sabotaging U.S. peace plan for Ukraine
TRUMP GETTING READY TO SELL UKRAINE OUT
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Trump declared that Volodymyr Zelensky has "no cards to play" in a stinging rebuke after the Ukrainian president rejected his framework for peace.
Why it matters: The U.S. presented Ukraine with its "final offer" for peace last week, which includes U.S. recognition of Crimea as Russian territory and no possibility of NATO membership for Ukraine. But Zelensky rejected that proposal on Wednesday.
The intrigue: Trump is accusing Zelensky of blocking the peace plan while suggesting an agreement with Russia is "very close."
White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, a U.S. official tells Axios.
What they're saying: "Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea," Zelensky told reporters. "There is nothing to talk about. It is against our constitution."
Ukraine's constitution also commits the country to working toward NATO membership.
However, as Trump pointed out in his response, the document does not actually state that Ukraine recognize Russian control of Crimea, only that the U.S. will.
Driving the news: Trump called Zelensky's statement "very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia," in a lengthy Truth Social post, arguing that Ukraine was not actually fighting for Crimea and that it was "lost years ago."
"It's inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy's that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country," Trump continued.
"I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever."
"The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the "killing field," and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with "no cards to play" should now, finally, GET IT DONE."
Vice President Vance said earlier Wednesday that the U.S. proposal would "freeze" the conflict along the current front lines and called on both parties to "either say yes or for the U.S. to walk away."
Reality check: There's no sign a deal is actually close, particularly since Ukraine has rejected Trump's plan and top U.S. officials skipped talks in London on Wednesday in which they had been expected to discuss Trump's proposal with the Ukrainians.
Between the lines: A source close to the Ukrainian government told Axios that Kyiv sees Trump's proposal as heavily biased toward Russia, with Moscow getting clear-cut wins and Kyiv only vague promises.
Another source told Axios that Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled out of Ukraine talks taking place in London on Wednesday when it became clear that Ukraine wanted to discuss Trump's previously proposal of a 30-day ceasefire rather than his new peace framework.
Putin has reportedly offered to freeze the current front lines in order to reach a deal, though he has previously rejected other elements of the U.S. framework, such as a peacekeeping force on Ukrainian territory.
European officials continue to doubt that Putin is serious about peace.
State of play: Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, met on Wednesday in London with senior diplomats from the U.K., France and Germany to discuss the U.S. peace plan.
The U.S. didn't participate in the meeting. Yermak said after the meeting that Ukraine is committed to Trump's peace efforts and stressed "Russia continues to reject an unconditional ceasefire, dragging out the process and trying to manipulate negotiations."
The latest: Yermak met in London separately with Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg and told him Ukraine won't make any concession regarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that an unconditional ceasefire must be the first step for any peace deal, according to a statement posted to his X account.
Kellogg described that meeting as "positive" and said it was "time to move forward on President Trump's UKR-RU war directive: stop the killing, achieve peace, and put America First."
The "offer" is for Ukraine to give up all the territory the two sides have been fighting over for the past couple years.
The "take it or leave it" ultimatum is close.
The offer is they won't lose any more territory. Or Ukraine can just keep losing its next generation, lose more land and become a Russian province again.
Ukraine is losing and will continue to loser, especially with China and North Korea offering so much support to Russia, unless NATO ground troops enter the war. There is no will for that, so losers lose land. I don't know where the idea the side losing the war gets to dictate peace terms. Such a 21st century conceit, where power is achieved by claiming oppression.
Claiming?
When was the last time the US sided with the naked aggressor in an international war?
Can you tell us how exactly Trump is trying to end this war in a fair and just way? Since he first started opening his mouth about it he has favored Russia.
When they do stop fighting Trump will claim all the credit. He is a despicable person.
By allowing an independent Ukraine to exist with the land it still controls.
Things aren't going to get better for Ukraine, especially with China supplying Russia. They don't have the manpower to reconquer the territory they lost. That's just reality and it would be nice if American progressives decided to start dealing with it.
There's no magic wand to waive to make Russia decide, "you know what, it would be "fair" if we just left Ukraine and gave Ukraine billions to rebuild." Growing up means recognizing sometimes the bad guys win, a half a loaf of bread is better than none and understanding when it's time to live to fight another day and start planning for that.
do stop fighting Trump will claim all the credit
of course he will. So what? Should Ukraine sacrifice thousands of lives and its future just so Trump won't brag. That's insane.
Oh. This is where you pretend we are siding with the aggressor despite borrowing billions to fund Ukraine's defense year after year. Amazing how China literally keeps the Russian armies in the field and american progressives claim it's America who sided with Russia. It's always blame America for something its not doing.
No, I'm saying Trump is siding with Russia.
Russia holds a a full house, Zelensky has an empty hand.
Russia will never return Crimea or those eastern territories or accept Ukraine joining NATO.
Trump understands the reality of the situation. And the hopelessness of Ukraine prevailing.
You say "we," but "we" is America, not Trump. Trump has rushed to be seen as the great peacemaker, and he doesn't care what Ukraine has to give up to do it. He's much more interested in his own glory and being Russia's friend.
When asked for his ideas on how to end the war Zelensky hadn't even been invited to the meeting so it's all his fault. /s.
The Re-Art of the deal is missing the T
Crimea was the home of the tartars, before Stalin started screwing around with it. Let's create an independent tartar state!
I have a lot of sympathy for Zelensky and Ukraine, but I don't think a good deal for him is going to happen. Trump is not really wrong when he says Russia holds the cards. Ukraine can only push this as far as US or European support will allow, and neither is willing to give him more than he has been getting - and even that can only go on for so long.
Putin has no reason to negotiate peace in good faith because he knows Trump wont continue aid to Ukraine. The only way Putin would be persuaded to make concessions is if the US said we will fund Ukraine for as long as it takes.
is if the US said we will fund Ukraine for as long as it takes.
The bleed Ukraine to death slowly while bankrupting America plan..