Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy clashed once again on Wednesday regarding efforts to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. The dispute centered around Zelenskiy’s refusal to acknowledge Russia’s occupation of Crimea, a point Trump criticized during the exchange.
Trump’s Vice President JD Vance stated that it was time for Russia and Ukraine to either accept a U.S. peace proposal or for the United States to step away from the negotiation process. Vance echoed a warning from Trump issued last week, saying, “The only way to really stop the killing is for the armies to both put down their weapons, to freeze this thing,” emphasizing that the proposal sought to freeze territorial lines at their current positions as part of a long-term diplomatic solution.
A former Western official familiar with the U.S. proposal indicated that it also included the recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Since taking office in January, Trump has radically altered U.S. policy toward the war, pushing for Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire while softening pressure on Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Zelenskiy reiterated on Tuesday that Ukraine would never concede Crimea to Russia, which annexed the peninsula in 2014 in a move widely condemned internationally. “There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution,” Zelenskiy said.
US President Donald Trump chided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a Truth Social post for refusing to recognize Russia's occupation of Crimea, as the two leaders clashed again on efforts to end the three-year-old war https://t.co/F1OvbsoaA9 pic.twitter.com/4Vq8po7MPr
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 24, 2025
In response, Trump criticized Zelenskiy’s stance as inflammatory, arguing that it complicated peace efforts. “Crimea was lost years ago and is not even a point of discussion,” Trump remarked on social media.
Zelenskiy acknowledged the high emotions surrounding the talks during a recent meeting in London and expressed hope that future joint efforts would lead to peace. In an X post, he pledged again that Ukraine would adhere to its constitution, expressing confidence that Ukraine’s partners, particularly the United States, would act in accordance with Kyiv’s firm decisions. He included a 2018 declaration from then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, which rejected Russia’s annexation of Crimea and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Trump, who promised to end the war within his first 24 hours back in the White House, scolded Zelenskiy for his refusal to consider a peace deal. “We’re very close to a deal to stop the killing,” Trump said on Truth Social. Later, Trump remarked to reporters that the talks in London had gone “pretty well” but emphasized the need for “two strong people, two smart people” to agree on a resolution to the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled his trip to the London talks, resulting in the cancellation of a broader meeting involving foreign ministers from Ukraine, Britain, France, and Germany. This underscored the widening gaps between Washington, Kyiv, and its European allies over how best to end the war.
Trump’s Patience Running Thin
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump was “frustrated” with the pace of the negotiations and criticized Zelenskiy for what she described as a “wrong direction” in the discussions. Multiple sources have suggested that proposals from Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, include not only recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea but also accepting Russia’s control of 20% of Ukrainian territory, blocking Ukraine’s NATO membership, and lifting Western sanctions.
Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, tweeted that there had been positive talks with Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, in London. “It’s time to move forward on President Trump’s UKR-RU war directive: stop the killing, achieve peace, and put America First,” Kellogg wrote.
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The pressure from Trump mounted over the weekend when he expressed hope that Moscow and Kyiv would come to an agreement this week. Central to the latest round of talks was an attempt to gauge what Ukraine could realistically accept, following proposals from Witkoff presented in Paris last week. Three diplomats said those proposals appeared to demand more concessions from Ukraine than from Russia.
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Trump Envoy Expected to Meet Putin
Witkoff, who has already met Putin three times to discuss the war, is expected to meet with the Russian president again on Friday, a U.S. official confirmed. Witkoff’s discussions will focus on the prospects for ending the conflict.
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Since Trump expressed his desire to broker peace in Ukraine and made a surprise call to Putin in February, European nations have scrambled to support Kyiv while managing the delicate relationship with the U.S. A joint statement from Britain, France, and Germany after the London talks reiterated their strong support for Trump’s commitment to stopping the violence and achieving a just, lasting peace. The statement also noted that significant progress had been made in reaching a common position and all parties agreed to continue their close coordination.
