US President Donald Trump has ruled out Ukrainian membership in NATO and confirmed that Crimea will remain under Russian control, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington for high-stakes talks aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The discussions at the White House on Monday will bring together Mr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland. The summit marks Mr Zelensky’s first visit to Washington since a February confrontation with Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance, in which the Ukrainian leader was accused of being “ungrateful” for US support.
Trump Dismisses NATO Membership for Ukraine
In a post on his social media platform, Mr Trump declared:
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. 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!!!”
The statement echoes long-standing Russian demands: that Ukraine never joins NATO and that Crimea remains under Moscow’s control. Both conditions have been firmly rejected by Kyiv since Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014.
Fallout from Alaska Summit with Putin
Monday’s White House meeting comes just days after Mr Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The summit produced no ceasefire breakthrough but did result in a pledge from both leaders to provide Ukraine with “robust security guarantees” outside NATO’s framework.
Mr Zelensky was not invited to the Alaska talks, which signaled a shift toward Russia’s position that a ceasefire is not a precondition for a peace settlement. Speaking in Brussels ahead of his Washington trip, Mr Zelensky described the proposed security assurances as “historic” but stressed that Ukraine would not agree to territorial concessions.
“I want to hear more about what exactly Mr Putin and Mr Trump discussed in Alaska,” Mr Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine’s position remains unchanged on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
European Concerns
French President Emmanuel Macron said European leaders plan to press Mr Trump on the scope of Washington’s security guarantees for Ukraine. “We want to know to what extent the United States is willing to back Ukraine’s defense in a binding way,” Mr Macron stated.
Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, hinted at possible compromises involving Ukrainian territory under partial Russian control. He said Moscow had made “some concessions” on the future of the Donetsk region but did not provide details, noting that the issue would be discussed further on Monday.
Territorial Bargaining and Russian Demands
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and claimed four more regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia — in 2022, despite not having full military control over them. Until now, Moscow has insisted Ukraine withdraw its forces entirely from these areas as a precondition to talks.
However, according to sources familiar with recent calls between Mr Trump and European leaders, the US President is “inclined to support” a Russian demand to be granted control over Donbas territory it has not yet captured. In return, Moscow would agree to freeze the front line in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, leaving Ukrainian forces in partial control of those regional capitals.
Such an arrangement would mark a significant concession to Moscow and would almost certainly be opposed by Kyiv, which has consistently rejected any peace deal involving territorial surrender.
Zelensky Seeks Firm Guarantees
Despite tensions with Washington earlier this year, Mr Zelensky struck a conciliatory tone upon arriving in the US capital. “We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably,” he told reporters.
Analysts say today’s White House meeting will be crucial in determining whether Ukraine can secure tangible security guarantees short of NATO membership — and whether Mr Trump’s willingness to negotiate on Russia’s terms will fracture Western unity on Ukraine.
