U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky locked horns yet again on Wednesday over how to wind down the three‑year‑old war in Ukraine. Trump scolded Zelensky for “refusing to recognise Russia’s occupation of Crimea,” a position that clashes head‑on with Washington’s latest peace push.
Trump’s vice‑president, JD Vance, speaking to reporters in India, renewed the warning that it might be “time for Russia and Ukraine to either agree to a US peace proposal ‘or for the United States to walk away from this process,’” echoing Trump’s blunt message from the week before.
He outlined a plan to “freeze territorial lines ‘at some level close to where they are today’” and pursue “a long‑term diplomatic settlement that hopefully will lead to long‑term peace.” In his words, “The only way to really stop the killing is for the armies to both put down their weapons, to freeze this thing.”
A former Western official who has seen the draft confirmed that it also assumes Kyiv would accept “the recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea.”
Since his January inauguration Trump has overturned long‑standing U.S. policy, pressing Kyiv to accept an immediate cease‑fire and easing pressure on Moscow, which invaded in 2022.
Zelensky on Tuesday restated that “Ukraine would never cede Crimea to Russia,” calling the peninsula “against our constitution.” Trump blasted that stance online, saying the comment was “inflammatory” and that “Crimea was lost years ago ‘and is not even a point of discussion.’”
Later, in an X post, Zelensky admitted the London session had been “marked by high emotions” but said he hoped “future joint work would lead to peace.” He attached the 2018 Crimea Declaration by Trump’s first‑term secretary of state Mike Pompeo, which asserts: “The United States rejects Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored.”
Trump—who campaigned on ending the war within 24 hours of returning to the White House—told reporters the London talks had gone “pretty well”, but also observed, “We’ve got to get two people, two strong people, two smart people, to agree. And as soon as they agree, the killing will stop.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped London, forcing cancellation of a broader ministers meeting that would have included Britain, France and Germany—an absence that highlighted widening transatlantic rifts.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Trump is “frustrated” by the slow pace, and that Zelensky “seems to be moving in the wrong direction”.
Multiple sources say envoy Steve Witkoff’s latest offer would have Kyiv recognise Russia’s hold on Crimea and roughly 20 percent of Ukraine it now occupies, foreclose NATO membership and lift Western sanctions.
Trump’s other envoy, Keith Kellogg, hailed “positive talks” with Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, tweeting, “It’s time to move forward on President Trump’s UKR‑RU war directive: stop the killing, achieve peace, and put America first.”
Trump upped the ante on Sunday, voicing hope that Moscow and Kyiv could “make a deal this week to end the conflict”.
Diplomats said Wednesday’s discussion tried to pin down what Kyiv might realistically accept after Witkoff’s Paris briefing “appeared to demand more concessions from Ukraine than Russia”.
Witkoff is slated to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday—his fourth meeting since February, according to a U.S. official—underscoring how Europe has scrambled to keep Washington engaged even as Trump pursues direct diplomacy with the Kremlin.
After the London session, Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement affirming “strong support for Trump’s ‘commitment to stopping the killing and achieving a just and lasting peace’”, reporting “significant progress … on next steps” and pledging to “continue their close coordination” in upcoming talks.
