Trump to Zelenskyy: Make peace now or risk losing Ukraine in three years

US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, urging him to make peace or face the loss of the entire country within three years.

Expressing his stance on the situation in Ukraine on Truth Social, Trump criticised Zelenskyy’s recent remarks and described the overall state of affairs as dire.

“Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, ‘Ukraine will not legally recognise the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.’ This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion,” Trump wrote.

He continued, “Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognise Crimea as Russian Territory but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired? The area also houses, for many years before ‘the Obama handover,’ major Russian submarine bases.”

Trump accused Zelenskyy of making “inflammatory statements” that hinder efforts to end the conflict. “It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Trump warned.

“I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever. The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!”

“We are very close to a Deal, but the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!” he added.

Trump’s comments also questioned why Kyiv had not defended Crimea when it was annexed by Russia in 2014, and underscored his disapproval of Zelenskyy’s approach to the ongoing war.

Meanwhile, the White House echoed the President’s concerns, expressing frustration over Zelenskyy’s recent positions on the conflict. Speaking to reporters in Washington, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said the Ukrainian leader appeared to be moving away from constructive dialogue.

“Unfortunately, it appears that President Zelenskyy is moving in the wrong direction,” Leavitt stated.

Clarifying Trump’s stance on the issue of Crimea, she said, “Trump is not asking Ukraine to recognise Crimea. No one asked them to do it. He is asking them to come to the negotiating table, recognising that this brutal war has gone on for too long and that for a good agreement, both sides need to come out of the negotiating table slightly disgruntled.”

Referring to recent public interviews in which Zelenskyy outlined Ukraine’s negotiation stance, Leavitt emphasised that talks should be held behind closed doors. “The patience [of the American leader] is running out,” she concluded.

By Tamilla Hasanova