Donald Trump rules out Ukraine joining NATO or getting Crimea back

Trump has claimed Zelensky could end the war “immediately if he wants.”

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff revealed overnight to CNN that Russian president Vladimir Putin had agreed to “game-changing” security guarantees that Trump had claimed had been made with the Russian leader during Friday’s summit in Alaska.

One of these is that the Crimean peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, will not be returned to Ukraine under any peace agreement.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated this and also ruled out Ukraine joining Nato.

He wrote: “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine 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. Some things never change!!!” 

On Monday, Zelensky will join key European leaders, including Keir Starmer, for talks in Washington with Trump.