The President Donald Trump And Volodimir Zelenski crossed reproaches and statements about the war conflict in Ukraine, while Russia remains offensive and launched a wave of attacks against kyiv on Thursday.
While the American president publicly airs that he has the consent of Moscow to end the warits European counterpart flatly rejected any plan that contemplates giving territories occupied by the Russian military forces, including the Crimean Peninsula.
“Ukraine will not yield or give up its territorial integrity,” said the Ukrainian leader, who recalled the official sentence of the United States during Trump’s first mandate about Russian invasion to Ukraine and the occupation of Crimea, Crimea, reports The agency EFE.
Zelenski He referred to a document signed by the then Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, in which it was claimed that “no country can change the borders of another by force” and that the United States would not recognize the Kremlin sovereignty claims over “territories conquered in violation of international law.”
Emots have run high today. But it is good that 5 countries met to bring peace closer. Ukraine, The USA, The UK, France and Germany. The Sides Expressed Their Views and Respect Fully Received EACH OTHER’S POSSIONS. It’s Important That Each Side Was Not Just A Participant But… pic.twitter.com/ldfv5wk8tw
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy / володимир зеленсьий (@zelenskyyua) April 23, 2025
Trump, on the other hand, reproached the position of the Ukrainian president and, from his account in the social Truth network, described his statements as “very harmful.”
“Crimea was lost years ago” under the mandate of Barack Obama, said the Republican, for whom the sovereignty of that peninsula “is not even a point of discussion.”
“If you want her, why didn’t they fight for her eleven years ago when Russia was delivered without a single shot?” He added in reference to Zelenski’s claim.
Positions found
Trump promised during his electoral campaign to finish the war in Ukraine in “less than 24 hours”, but so far his plans have remained in the air due to the marked differences between his proposals and the aspirations of Ukraine and his allies.
The recent statements of Zelenski saw the light according to the conversations that would hold on Wednesday in London representatives of US, Europe and Ukraine, and that ended without the presence of the main actors in the negotiation.
The possibility of giving part of its territory is seen as a red line for kyiv.
“There is nothing to talk about; it is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” said the Ukrainian President.
Zelenski had already said this week that the constitution of his country prevents any recognition to Moscow about Crimea and also implied that the US proposal served for Russia to continue with the war and its expansionist anxiety.
Trump, meanwhile, considered “incendiary” the words of the kyiv leader and said that this position would only prolong the war
“There is nothing to show off! The situation of Ukraine is desperate: it can achieve peace or can fight for another three years before losing the entire country,” he said, quoted by EFE.
The president of the United States stressed that a possible agreement between Moscow and kyiv could be “very close” and that their intention was to help both parties to “leave this complete and total disaster.”
“We are very close to an agreement, and the man ‘without letters to play’ should finally conclude it,” Trump said in reference to Zelenski.
Trump’s plan
Several US media have advanced the document Trump has put on the negotiating table and to which the president would have described as “final proposal”, review The Spanish newspaper The country.
According to these sources, United States plans to end the war would force Ukraine to lose the Crimean Peninsula, occupied by Russia since 2014, an annexation backed by a plebiscite in that region that neither kyiv nor the Western powers recognize as valid.
The plan would also include the renunciation of other territories of the east and the south of the country, on which the Russian forces have gained control since the invasion initiated in 2022. Likewise, Ukraine would refrain to be part of NATO and accept the US control of the Zaporiyia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, currently in Russian hands.
In that case, Washington foresees that they remain considered as Ukrainian territory, although they will be under their control and can provide electricity to both Russia and Ukraine.
In return, Moscow would stop fighting on the front line. In addition, their military forces would leave the areas of the Járkov region that at the moment they control and allow free circulation through the Dnieper River, the main river artery of the country. The proposal adds compensation and help for reconstruction, without specifying the amounts, according to reports.
The US authorities have warned that if Russia and Ukraine do not finally reach an agreement, Washington would leave the negotiations. This was advanced days ago, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and this Wednesday said vice president DJ Vance, for whom the time has come for both parties to accept it or “the United States will retire from the process.”
Russia hit
With the United States proposal in the air, Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital and other territories of the country with drones and missiles.
The attacks caused the death of nine people, and dozens of injured, including several children, according to various sources.
Zelenski, who was in South Africa, canceled part of his visit to return to the country after this fact. In addition, he called an “immediate and without conditions” cessation of the Russian bombings.
“It is extremely important that all around the world see and understand what is really happening,” said the president, who said he would contact his international partners with a view to strengthening his aerial defenses, refers CNN.
Moscow, on the other hand, denied having attacked civil objectives and described the Ukrainian and Western information about bombings such as “propaganda.”
However, he acknowledged having carried out a “mass attack” in Ukraine with long -range and high precision weapons, which, he said, was directed against military facilities.
The attacks not only hit the capital, but also in other areas of the country such as DNIPRO, Járkov, Poltava, Jmelnitski and Sumy, according to press reports.
At the same time, the Russian troops continue to advance in several sectors of the front and intend to consolidate their positions in the occupied territories, which represent almost 20 % of all Ukraine. This, according to analysts, adds even more pressure to the Zelenski government and hinders its arguments for a possible negotiation.
