Former President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after he rejected a U.S. peace proposal that would recognize Crimea as Russian territory and rule out Ukraine joining NATO.
Trump claimed Zelensky had “no cards to play” and warned that rejecting the deal would prolong the war.
Zelensky, however, said Ukraine’s constitution prohibits recognizing Russia’s occupation of Crimea and requires pursuing NATO membership. Trump argued the conflict could end soon if Ukraine accepted the plan, which Kyiv views as biased toward Russia.
U.S. officials reportedly skipped talks in London, and sources say Ukraine preferred an earlier proposal involving a temporary truce. Despite tension, Trump envoy Keith Kellogg met with Zelensky’s aide, Andriy Yermak, who emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to sovereignty and demanded an unconditional ceasefire as a starting point for any deal.
