Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in the United States for high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump and European leaders.
In a Telegram post, he wrote: “We all equally want to end this war quickly and reliably,” adding that peace must be lasting.
“Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of Donbas, and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given supposed ‘security guarantees’ in 1994, which didn’t work,” he wrote.
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine should not have given up Crimea in 2014, “just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022.”
According to him, Ukraine’s Defense Forces are currently making progress in the Donetsk and Sumy regions.
He said: “We will protect Ukraine, effectively guarantee its security, and our people will always be grateful to President Trump, to everyone in America, and to every partner for their support and invaluable assistance.”
“Russia must end this war that it started. And I hope that our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia to make real peace,” Zelensky added.
After attending the “Coalition of the Willing” meeting in Brussels on Aug. 17, Zelensky and a delegation of European leaders traveled to the US to meet with Trump.
The talks with Trump are expected to focus on options for ending the war in Ukraine and the possibility of a meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Trump’s schedule, published by Roll Call, he will first hold a bilateral meeting with Zelensky, followed by a multilateral meeting with EU leaders.
The timeline is as follows:
- 7:00 p.m. (Kyiv time): European leaders arrive at the White House.
- 8:00 p.m.: Trump greets Zelensky.
- 8:15 p.m.: Bilateral meeting between Trump and Zelensky.
- 9:15 p.m.: Trump greets EU leaders.
- 9:30 p.m.: Group photo.
- 10:00 p.m.: Multilateral meeting with EU leaders.
In a late-night Truth Social post, Trump said that Ukraine’s NATO membership and reclaiming Crimea are “off the table” in negotiations to end Russia’s invasion.
“President [Volodymyr Zelensky] of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump wrote, adding: “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!!!”
Trump also said, “Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them!!!” — referring to his meeting with Zelensky, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Britain’s Keir Starmer, and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni.
The gathering follows Trump’s summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the Russian leader reportedly agreed to an “Article 5-like” guarantee for Ukraine as part of an eventual deal.