Trump says Zelenskyy can work toward peace now or ‘lose the whole country’

This comes after Zelenskyy reportedly rejected the US-brokered peace deal which would recognize Russian ownership of Crimea, territory they gained during a 2014 invasion, freeze the current line of aggression, which would allow Ukraine control over the Donetsk region, and forbid Ukraine from ever joining NATO. Zelenskyy has said since the start of the war in 2022 that he would never give up Crimea, though it's been in Russian control for over a decade.

"Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, 'Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here,'" Trump said in a Truth Social post. "This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion. Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?"

"The area also houses, for many years before 'the Obama handover,' major Russian submarine bases. 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."

"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. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!"

On Wednesday, Trump said from the Oval Office while signing executive orders that he's found Zelenskyy harder to work with than he thought.

“I think Russia is ready, a lot of people said that Russia wanted to go for the whole thing and I think we have a deal with Russia, we have to get a deal with Zelenskyy," Trump said in the Oval Office. "I hope that Zelenskyy, I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelenskyy, so far it’s been harder. But that’s okay, it’s alright. I think we have a deal with both, I hope they do it."

The Trump administration has been hinting that the peace talks they are brokering between Ukraine and Russia may end up fruitless and the US would walk away. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both indicated that the US could walk away if both parties can't come to an agreement.

"There is no military solution to this war," Rubio told Bari Weiss this week during a wide-ranging interview. "We have to be frank.

He said that it's key to "figure out: are these guys even in the same neighborhood? Because if they're in completely different zip codes, then we may have to conclude that they're so far apart that peace is impossible. At this time, we've done our best. We put a lot of time and energy at the highest levels of our government. We'll continue to be willing to do so, as long as there's a realistic path forward. If at some point we determine that we're just too far apart and not enough movement is happening, we may need to move on to other priorities, because there are a lot of important things happening in the world. This is not our war. We didn't start this war. We're trying to help everybody end it, but they may be too far apart, but I hope not."