U.S. President Donald Trump recently suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might be prepared to relinquish control over Crimea, despite Zelenskyy’s previous assertions that the peninsula is non-negotiable. At a private audience in the Vatican, the two discussed Ukraine’s continued struggle against a brutal, unprovoked invasion by Russia. In their footage, they highlighted the immediate need for more military assistance.
Zelenskyy has long insisted that Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, is “the property of the Ukrainian people.” His hard line on this has not budged, despite the war with Russia deepening by the day. When Trump finally met Zelenskyy, he trumped all the long-standing requests from Zelenskyy for more weapons by promising to help build up Ukraine’s defense capacity. He has been sounding this need alarmingly for the past three years, including in the last few days the urgent need for increased military aid.
Trump acknowledged Zelenskyy’s challenging position, stating, “Look, he’s in a tough situation, a very tough situation. He’s fighting a much bigger force, much bigger.” Such a comment carries the weight of the precarious reality of Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s military muscle. Furthermore, Trump indicated that he believed Zelenskyy was open to negotiating a deal, saying, “I think he understands the picture, and I think he wants to make a deal.”
Undermining all of Trump’s supportive remarks were these wild claims about how Americans have sent $200 billion to Ukraine. He went on to mischaracterize the support the United States has given Ukraine, claiming misleadingly that we have given Ukraine $350 billion. This number far exceeds the total dollars allocated to military assistance. It calls into question the veracity of information under discussion in these high-level meetings.
The dialogue opened up to larger geopolitical issues as well. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius rejected a U.S. proposal in no uncertain terms. He denounced the proposal for Ukraine to give up land to Russia, including Crimea, as “close to a capitulation.” Behind this proposal is organizing for two sets of peace plans. It implies that U.S. would be willing to accept Moscow’s retention of the territory it has seized since the start of the war in February 2022.
Zelenskyy made no secret of his displeasure with the U.S. reaction to his asks. As an example, he said that the kinds of terms Trump proposed could have been settled a year ago. This feeling of desperation speaks to the sense of urgency that Ukraine feels as its war becomes an increasingly drawn-out affair.
Indeed, Trump’s remarks throughout the meeting were laced with unconditional desire for resolution. He stated, “Well, I want him to stop shooting. Sit down and sign the deal. We have the confines of a deal, I believe, and I want him to sign it and be done with it.” His comments suggest that he has a growing interest in pursuing a diplomatic resolution because the viability of a workable agreement is far from clear.
Trump’s newly expressed support for Zelenskyy’s efforts. He is critical of Ukraine’s military strategy and its approach to possible negotiations. He remarked that Zelenskyy “told me that he needs more weapons, but he’s been saying that for three years,” highlighting a perceived disconnect between Ukraine’s requests and the U.S. response.