Trump says Ukraine will not join NATO

President Donald Trump declared on Sunday night that the nation of Ukraine would not be joining NATO. Trump is closing the door on membership after the Biden administration had dangled the possibility before Ukraine and Europe.

"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!!!"

Trump is meeting with Zelensky and other European leaders in the White House on Monday. This follows a meeting Trump had on Friday with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The two men discussed potential terms to bring an end to the war that's been raging between Ukraine and Russia since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

During remarks to the press following that Friday summit, Putin said that if Trump had been president in 2022, instead of Joe Biden, the war would not have happened. Zelensky was on the ground in Washington, DC by Sunday night and will be in the White House by 1 pm.

European leaders will join Zelensky and Trump for meetings in the afternoon and if things go well, a following meeting between Zelensky and Putin could be scheduled for as early as this week.

Ahead of the meeting, Zelensky said "I have already arrived in Washington, tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. Tomorrow we are also speaking with European leaders. I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East—part of Donbas—and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given so called “security guarantees” in 1994, but they didn't work. Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence.

"Now," he continued, "our soldiers have successes in Donetsk and Sumy regions. I am confident that we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance. Russia must end this war, which it itself started. And I hope that our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia into a real peace. Thank you!"