Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Washington, D.C., for high-stakes talks at the White House on the future of his war-torn nation. The visit comes amid a significant shift in U.S. policy, with President Donald Trump publicly ruling out Ukraine’s chances of reclaiming Crimea or joining NATO as part of a possible peace settlement with Russia.
Speaking ahead of Zelensky’s arrival, Trump said the path to ending the two-year-long conflict rests in Kyiv’s willingness to negotiate. “Zelensky can end this war if he wants to,” Trump remarked, adding that “Ukraine will not join NATO” under a peace framework. He also insisted that the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, would not be returned to Ukraine, effectively acknowledging Moscow’s control over the territory.
The U.S. leader’s comments set the tone for what could be one of the most decisive meetings of Ukraine’s wartime diplomacy. Alongside Zelensky and Trump, senior European Union leaders are expected to attend the White House discussions, underscoring the international weight of the gathering.
In a parallel development, Trump’s special envoy revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has tentatively agreed to offer Ukraine “robust security guarantees” as part of a settlement. These would reportedly include a defense pact resembling NATO’s Article 5, whereby an attack on Ukraine would trigger collective military support from partner nations.
Zelensky, who has consistently sought firm security assurances from Western allies, reiterated his demand upon landing in the U.S. He welcomed what he described as Washington’s “historic decision” to push for binding guarantees, though he has stopped short of commenting directly on Trump’s stance regarding Crimea and NATO.
Security analysts suggest today’s White House talks could prove even more consequential than last week’s U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska. “This meeting may determine not just how and when the war ends, but also the architecture of European security for decades,” noted our Security Correspondent Frank Gardner.
For Zelensky, the challenge will be balancing Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with the reality of American and Russian red lines. For Trump, the talks represent an opportunity to claim progress toward ending one of the world’s most intractable conflicts.
