US Vice President JD Vance outlined the US’s idea for a peace agreement ahead of Trump’s broadside, which would allow Russia to retain its already-occupied areas of Ukraine, including Crimea.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, shared a 2018 declaration from Trump’s first term declaring Crimea to be Ukrainian territory following yet another explosive disagreement with the US president. Trump chastised his Ukrainian colleague for refusing to hand over Crimea to Russia, claiming that this was impeding peace negotiations with Moscow that may put an end to the protracted conflict in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy described Wednesday’s peace negotiations in London as being characterized by “emotions”. Additionally, he pledged to follow the Ukrainian constitution, which he had previously claimed prohibited ceding land to Russia, including Crimea.
Today has been a very emotional day. However, it’s fantastic that five nations came together to advance peace. Germany, France, the UK, the USA, and Ukraine. The parties respectfully heard each other’s points of view and voiced their own. “It’s critical that all parties not only participated but also made significant contributions,” the Ukrainian president stated in a post on X.
Emotions have run high today. But it is good that 5 countries met to bring peace closer. Ukraine, the USA, the UK, France and Germany. The sides expressed their views and respectfully received each other’s positions. It’s important that each side was not just a participant but… pic.twitter.com/lDFV5WK8tw
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 23, 2025
The vision was shared by the American side. Europeans, including Ukraine, contributed. And we hope that this kind of cooperative effort will result in enduring peace. We appreciate our partners. Ukraine will always follow its Constitution, and we have no doubt that our allies, including the United States, will follow its firm rulings,” he continued.
Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of State during Trump’s first term, placed a 2018 Crimea Declaration on Zelenskyy’s page that stated: “The United States rejects Russia’s attempted annexation of Crimea and pledges to maintain this policy until Ukraine’s territorial integrity is restored.”
Zelensky Gets Lashed Out by Trump
This followed Trump’s Wednesday tirade against Zelensky, in which he blamed the war’s failure on the Ukrainian president’s refusal to accept Russian occupation of Crimea.
Prior to that, US Vice President JD Vance outlined the US’s plan for a peace agreement in which Russia would retain control of Crimea and other already-occupied areas of Ukraine.
Trump claimed that although a deal with Moscow was “very close” and had been closed, Zelensky was “harder” to work with.
“Will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field’,” he continued, referring to the Ukrainian president’s refusal to accept US criteria for ending the conflict, which started with Russia’s invasion.
We have an agreement with Russia, I believe. We must get an agreement with Zelensky,” Trump said reporters. “I reasoned that dealing with Zelensky may be simpler. It’s been more difficult thus far.
After Trump frequently boasted on the campaign path that he would end the crisis in a day, the US is putting intense pressure on Ukraine to accept a deal. Though he has threatened to waive severe US economic sanctions on Moscow if the combat ceases, the American leader has not yet applied any comparable tangible pressure on Russia.
Explosions were heard throughout the capital as Ukrainian officials issued an alert for a “enemy missile” strike on Kyiv while the leaders exchanged accusations.
