Zelensky Ready to Cede Crimea to Russia as Part of Peace Deal – President Donald Trump

Zelensky Ready to Cede Crimea to Russia as Part of Peace Deal – President Donald Trump

According to a BBC News report, former U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that he believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is willing to cede Crimea to Russia as part of a peace agreement.

When Trump was asked whether he thinks Zelensky is prepared to give up control of Crimea — which Russia illegally annexed in 2014 — he replied: "I think so."

Trump also called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to "stop shooting, sit down, and sign a deal" to bring an end to the fighting — adding that such an agreement could be achieved within two weeks.

These remarks came after Trump’s return from the Vatican, where he had a brief meeting with Zelensky ahead of Pope Francis's funeral.

Trump said the meeting with Zelensky “went well” and that Crimea was discussed “very briefly.” He added that Zelensky “seemed calmer now” — possibly referencing the public tension between the two leaders during a heated exchange at the White House back in February.

Ukraine has repeatedly rejected the idea of ceding any territory to Russia and has stated that such matters should only be discussed after a ceasefire agreement is reached.

As of now, neither Zelensky nor Putin has publicly responded to Trump’s recent statements.

Earlier on Sunday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned Ukraine against entering into any agreement that would involve giving up significant territory in exchange for a ceasefire.

He told German public broadcaster ARD that Kyiv “should not go as far as the latest proposal from the U.S. President,” calling it “tantamount to surrender.”

Pistorius added that while Ukraine may be aware that it could potentially have to give up some territory as part of a peace deal, it should not go as far as the proposal Trump outlined. “Ukraine could have gotten a similar deal a year ago. This looks like surrender, and I don't see any added value in it,” he said.

Last week, Trump claimed that "most of the key terms of a deal have already been agreed upon." Reports suggest that Ukraine may be asked to cede large areas of Russian-occupied territory — including Crimea.

On Friday, Reuters reported that it had seen proposals suggesting that the U.S. might legally recognize Russia’s control over Crimea and other occupied regions — such as the entirety of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

Reuters also said that counterproposals from Europe and Ukraine insisted that any discussions regarding occupied territory must take place only after a ceasefire.

In an interview with Time Magazine this week, Trump again blamed Kyiv for the war, arguing that Ukraine’s desire to join NATO was the root cause of the conflict. He added, “Crimea will remain with Russia.”

On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also called on both Russia and Ukraine to move toward a peace agreement.

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