Washington, DC [US] August 18 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who on Monday arrived in the US capital ahead of his high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump shared a "strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably", stressing that peace with Russia must be "lasting".
"I have already arrived in Washington, tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. Tomorrow we are also speaking with European leaders. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East--part of Donbas--and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack," Zelenskyy posted on X.
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1957271398902039032
He recalled how "security guarantees" offered in 1994 had failed, and insisted that Ukraine would not accept half-measures. "Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022," he said, adding that Ukraine's soldiers are making progress in Donetsk and Sumy.
Expressing gratitude to Washington, Zelenskyy 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."
His arrival comes after Trump announced that the reclaiming of Cremia and NATO is off the table for Ukraine as he said that Zelenskyy "can end the war with Russia almost immediately if he wants to."
The US President, while ruling out Ukraine's entry into NATO, also invoked the 2014 annexation of Crimea, blaming the Obama administration.
He wrote in Truth Social Post, "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!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The Trump-Zelenskyy talks follow Trump's three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which he rated a "10 on 10," Fox News reported.
Trump later wrote on Truth Social, "A great and very successful day in Alaska! The meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of NATO. It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up."