Ukraine’s president said his country would never recognize Russian control of Crimea.
Zelensky Pushes Back
The Wall Street Journal reports Ukraine’s Zelensky Pushes Back on U.S. Peace Plan
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed back on a U.S. proposal to recognize Russia’s control of Crimea as part of a cease-fire agreement, throwing into doubt President Trump’s efforts to bring an end to the war.
“Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea,” Zelensky said at a press conference here on Tuesday. “There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution.”
Zelensky’s dismissal upends Trump’s latest gambit to halt the war in Ukraine—now in its fourth year—and casts new uncertainty on the future of the relationship between Kyiv and Washington, which Trump has made conditional on a quick deal.
American officials had presented a series of ideas for ending the war, including the Crimea proposal, to Ukrainian officials last week and expected an answer on Wednesday at a summit in London, where Ukrainian, U.S. and European officials will gather.
Zelensky said Russia should agree to a cease-fire before further talks to demonstrate “serious steps, and not childishness.”
In recent days, American officials had floated the idea of formally acknowledging Russian control of Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula seized by Russia’s military in 2014, while freezing the conflict along current lines. It couldn’t be established whether the idea was for the U.S. to recognize Russia’s hold on Crimea, or for Ukraine to do so as well.
Major progress in the talks now appears less likely, after Zelensky batted away many of the latest U.S. proposals on Tuesday.
The U.S. proposal to recognize Crimea had put Zelensky in a difficult position: The Ukrainian public remains solidly opposed to territorial concession, and the Ukrainian constitution clearly prohibits it. But if he rejected the idea too directly, he risked losing U.S. aid again.
A poll conducted earlier this year by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 39% of Ukrainians would be willing to give up territory as part of a deal to end the conflict, up from 8% in late 2022. Still, 50% of Ukrainians remain opposed to territorial concessions.
Zero Chance Ukraine Holds Crimea
There is zero chance Ukraine keeps Crimea. And the longer Ukraine keeps this stance the more territory it will lose.
If Zelensky thinks the EU will be some shining white night he is delusional.
Half of Germany wants this war over just to get more natural gas from Russia.
Progress? What Progress?
Trump keeps citing progress. Neither Ukraine nor Russia have given an inch. If anything Zelensky is backtracking with these statements.
I had hopes, even expectations Trump would be further along than where we are.
It seems Ukraine may need to lose still more territory first.
Trump-Zelensky Meeting Implodes, Trump Says “Come Back When You Want Peace”
On February 28, 2025, I commented Trump-Zelensky Meeting Implodes, Trump Says “Come Back When You Want Peace”
Put a minerals’ deal with Ukraine temporarily on hold, but Zelensky “has no cards”.
Zelensky Seeks Deal One Day After Trump Cancels All Aid to Ukraine
On March 4 I noted Zelensky Seeks Deal One Day After Trump Cancels All Aid to Ukraine
Yesterday, Trump paused all military aid to Ukraine after a disastrous meeting with Zelensky last Friday. Now what?
And here we are again with Zelensky making ridiculous demands.