- Trump proposes Ukraine drop NATO ambitions, Crimea claim as peace condition.
- Zelensky insists on genuine security guarantees and refuses to cede territory.
- Putin reportedly agrees to NATO-style protection pact framework.
US President Donald Trump has stirred fresh controversy with his comments that Ukraine could bring Russia’s war to an end “almost immediately” if it agrees to certain conditions chiefly, abandoning its push for NATO membership and relinquishing any claim to Crimea.
According to Eko Hot Blog reports speaking hours before hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Monday, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the Ukrainian leader has a choice to either “end the war or keep fighting.” He emphasized that there would be “no getting back” of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and “no going into NATO” for Ukraine.
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“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 wrote.
His statement follows a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where Trump is said to have dropped a prior demand for an immediate ceasefire, instead pushing for a permanent settlement a major shift in Washington’s posture.
Zelensky Pushes Back, Demands Security Guarantees
Upon arriving in the US late Sunday, President Zelensky reiterated his demand for robust and reliable security assurances from Ukraine’s Western allies.
“We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably but we need real guarantees not like in 1994, when Ukraine was given so-called ‘security guarantees’ that didn’t work,” Zelensky posted on social media, expressing gratitude for Trump’s invitation.
He also insisted that Crimea should never have been ceded, just as Ukraine held firm in defending Kyiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv in the face of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff disclosed in a CNN interview that Putin has signaled willingness to accept a NATO-style agreement that would see the US and Europe offer Article 5-like protection to Ukraine a proposal seen as “game-changing” by American officials.
“We were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection,” Witkoff said, referring to the NATO clause that obligates mutual defence if any member is attacked.
While not formal NATO membership, such a pact could satisfy Ukraine’s core desire for long-term protection without provoking Moscow’s red line against NATO expansion.
Witkoff added that Russia had also shown flexibility on five contested Ukrainian territories, though Kremlin officials insist on retaining the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Despite the diplomatic dance, Zelensky was clear that Ukraine’s constitution prevents any surrender of national territory. He stated that only direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow facilitated by Washington could ever lead to such a conversation.
European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, are expected in Washington for discussions with Trump on Monday.
Macron said the joint appearance is designed to “present a united front” in talks with Trump.
Monday’s White House summit comes after a tense February meeting between Zelensky and Trump ended abruptly in a verbal clash. Trump reportedly accused the Ukrainian leader of “gambling with World War Three,” creating friction that damaged US-Ukraine ties.
To avoid a repeat, European leaders have reportedly coached Zelensky on “deal-making language” that aligns more with Trump’s style of negotiation. The shift has already borne fruit: a minerals agreement signed in April gave the US a financial stake in Ukraine, and Zelensky privately met Trump at the Vatican in June.
“The July phone call was the best conversation we’ve had,” Zelensky later remarked, signalling a thaw in relations.
Despite signals of diplomatic progress, US Secretary of State Michael Rubio urged caution, stating that a final peace agreement remains far off.
“We’re still a long ways off,” Rubio warned on Sunday.
As talks continue, Russian forces are reportedly advancing on the battlefield, now controlling nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Still, optimism among allies remains cautious but persistent as Monday’s high-level talks could set the tone for a new chapter in the war’s resolution.
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