Donald Trump slams Zelensky for refusing to part with Crimea to ‘settle’ Ukraine war
Trump has consistently pinned the blame for outbreak of war on Zelensky and alleged that he was responsible for “millions of deaths”
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, once again, accusing him of prolonging the “killing field” by refusing to part with the strategic Crimean Peninsula, occupied by Russia since 2014.
Zelensky has consistently refused to cede the territory to Russia as part of a U.S.-brokered peace agreement. “There is nothing to talk about — it is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” he said before the talks in London between U.S., European and Ukrainian officials.
Also read | Donald Trump suggests Zelensky 'won't be around very long' without ceasefire deal
“This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
The US president has consistently pinned the blame for the outbreak of war on Zelensky and alleged that he was responsible for “millions of deaths.”
“Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognise Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” Trump added, alluding to the takeover of the territory by Russia through an invasion of its armed forces in 2014.
Trump alleged that such “inflammatory statements” are making it difficult to “settle” this war. “He has nothing to boast about!” the U.S. President said.
Also read | Zelensky suggests accepting ceasefire in exchange for NATO security guarantees
“The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. Zelensky's statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with “no cards to play” should now, finally, GET IT DONE,” Trump wrote.
A European official familiar with the ongoing negotiations said that the U.S. had presented a proposal that let Russia keep control over Crimea as part of a final settlement, AP reported.
Another official also said that some of Washington's allies informally acknowledge that Russia is firmly entrenched wholly or partially in five regions of Ukraine — Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
