Donald Trump hits out at Volodymyr Zelensky on prolonging ‘killing field’

President Donald Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the Ukrainian leader is prolonging the “killing field” after he pushed back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan.

Mr Zelensky on Tuesday ruled out the idea of Ukraine ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among US, European and Ukrainian officials.

“There is nothing to talk about — it is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Mr Zelensky said.

US officials

During similar talks last week in Paris, US officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official.

“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,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.

“Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognise Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it 11 years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?”

Mr Trump added that “inflammatory statements like Zelensky’s” is making “it so difficult to settle this War”.

“He has nothing to boast about!” Mr Trump said.

“The situation for Ukraine is dire, he can have peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country”.

Mr Zelensky’s statement “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.”

‘Moment of truth’

A planned meeting on Wednesday involving top US, British, French and Ukrainian diplomats to push forward a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine was pared back at the last minute, with Vice President JD Vance saying negotiations are reaching a moment of truth.

“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Mr Vance told reporters during a visit to Agra, India.

He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today”, with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold.

He did not provide further details of the proposal.

A senior European official familiar with the ongoing talks involving the US team said a proposal that the US says is “final” was initially presented last week in Paris, where it was described as “just ideas” — and that they could be changed.

When those “ideas” surfaced in media reports several days later, Ukrainian officials were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to the official.

Mr Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day.

“We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Mr Zelensky wrote on his Telegram page, in accordance with a proposal he said the United States tabled six weeks ago.

Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land.

Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because it has battlefield momentum.