As the world watches with bated breath, President Donald Trump has issued a stern directive to Ukraine: abandon any aspirations of reclaiming the annexed region of Crimea or joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
This comes as he prepares to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a cadre of European leaders in Washington. The objective of this gathering is to coax Kyiv into accepting a peace agreement with Russia, thereby putting an end to Europe's deadliest conflict in eight decades. This war has claimed countless lives and displaced millions.
According to Newsmax, the meeting in Washington follows Trump's warm reception of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. The American president is now exerting pressure on Ukraine to agree to a peace deal that would terminate a war that has been raging since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Trump's stance on the matter, coupled with his remarks on NATO and Crimea, which was annexed by Russia during Barack Obama's presidency in 2014, suggests that he will be firm in his discussions with Zelenskyy.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "Zelenskyy can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. 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." This statement has sparked fears among Ukraine and its allies that Trump could push for an agreement that favors Moscow.
However, there are some glimmers of hope. Trump has shown a willingness to provide post-settlement security guarantees for Ukraine. Despite this, Zelenskyy has all but dismissed Putin's proposals from the Alaska meeting, which include Ukraine surrendering the remainder of its eastern Donetsk region, of which it currently controls a quarter. Zelenskyy is also advocating for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate more in-depth peace negotiations.
Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. ET (1715 GMT) in the Oval Office. Following this, he will meet with all the European leaders together in the White House's East Room at 3 p.m. ET (1900 GMT).
The Ukrainian President, keen to avoid a repeat of the tense Oval Office meeting he had with Trump in February, expressed his gratitude to Trump for the invitation upon his arrival in Washington late on Sunday.
"We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably," Zelenskyy said on the Telegram messaging app. "Russia must end this war the war it started. And I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace."
Meanwhile, Russia continues its aggressive campaign, launching missiles and drones in overnight attacks that included strikes on Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, near the Russian border. These attacks resulted in the deaths of seven people, including two children. On the battlefield, Russia has been slowly advancing, leveraging its superior manpower and firepower. Putin has declared his readiness to continue fighting until his military objectives are achieved.
The outline of Putin's proposals, as reported by Reuters, appears impossible for Zelenskyy to accept. Ukrainian forces are deeply entrenched in the Donetsk region, which serves as a crucial defensive zone to thwart Russian attacks. European leaders, concerned about being excluded from the conversation after a summit with Putin to which they were not invited, held a call with Zelenskyy on Sunday to align on a common strategy for the meetings with Trump.
"D-Day at the White House," declared Britain's Daily Mail, while the Daily Mirror proclaimed "Europe takes a stand" in its front-page headline. Germany's Die Welt labeled it the "moment of truth" for the U.S. president. "It is probably not an exaggeration to say the whole world is looking to Washington," Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said at a press briefing.
Relations between Kyiv and Washington, once extremely close, have been strained since Trump returned to the White House in January. However, Ukraine's pressing need for U.S. weapons and intelligence sharing, some of which have no viable alternative, has forced Zelenskiy and his allies to work with Trump.
As the world watches, the question remains: Will this meeting in Washington lead to a resolution that satisfies all parties involved, or will it further complicate an already tense situation? Only time will tell.
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