Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his arrival in Washington DC on Sunday (local time) ahead of the talks with US President Donald Trump. He expressed his desire to end the war with Russia “quickly and reliably” as he thanked Trump for inviting him.
The two leaders are set to meet days after Trump met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a high-stakes summit in Alaska, where discussions were held to arrive at a peace agreement to end the Ukraine conflict. A cohort of European leaders will also be present at the meeting in Washington.
“I have already arrived in Washington, tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. Tomorrow we are also speaking with European leaders. I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably,” Zelenskyy stated in a post on X.
Zelenskyy further stressed that peace must be lasting, recalling Ukraine’s past setbacks. He noted that years ago, Ukraine was forced to cede Crimea and parts of Donbas, which Russian President Vladimir Putin later used as a “springboard for new attack”. He also referred to the 1994 “security guarantees” provided to Ukraine, saying they had failed to prevent conflict.
“Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence. Now, our soldiers have successes in Donetsk and Sumy regions,” he said.
“I am confident that we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance,” Zelenskyy added.
‘No Going Into NATO By Ukraine’
Trump said late on Sunday that Zelenskyy could chose to end the war with Russia “almost immediately,” but should give up getting into NATO or retaking Russian-occupied Crimea.
“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 posted on his Truth Social platform, ahead of his meeting with the Ukrainian President and European leaders.
According to a repory by news agency AFP, Zelenskyy is expected to first hold a private meeting with Trump. They will then be joined by European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
