‘Give Up Crimea, NATO Hopes’: Trump Tells Zelenskyy As He Hosts European Leaders At White House

On the eve of crucial White House meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a powerful lineup of European leaders, President Donald Trump has given a preview of the message he plans to deliver: Ukraine must accept some of Russia’s terms if the war is to end.

“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!!! [sic],” he posted on Truth Social.

Trump’s post makes clear the pressure Zelenskyy will face when he arrives at the White House on Monday. The conditions Trump highlighted — that Ukraine permanently give up Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, and that it never join NATO — are the same red lines Vladimir Putin has laid out for ending the war.

European leaders travelling with Zelenskyy fear the meeting could turn into a push by Trump to nudge Ukraine toward accepting Putin’s demands, which were reiterated during last week’s Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. At the same time, they are eager to learn whether Russia might offer concessions of its own and what role Washington would play in any future security guarantees.

“Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them [sic],” Trump wrote in a follow-up post, highlighting the scale of the gathering.

The European delegation includes some of the most influential figures in global politics: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. All will stand alongside Zelensky as the talks unfold in Washington on Monday.

Earlier, Donald Trump claimed to have mediated peace between India and Pakistan after the Islamabad-sponsored April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and New Delhi’s retaliation with Operation Sindoor. India has, however, categorically denied the US’s involvement in the ceasefire that followed Operation Sindoor.