‘No cards to play’: Furious Trump takes aim at Zelensky for rejecting US idea

Washington: Donald Trump has accused Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky of prolonging the war with Russia by refusing to cede Crimea to Vladimir Putin, in the latest escalation of the US president’s frustration with Kyiv as he tries to force through a peace deal this week.

In a furious social media post overnight, Trump took issue with Zelensky’s rejection of a US proposal to in effect “freeze” the territorial lines close to their current positions, and recognise Crimea as Russian.

President Donald Trump during a brief appearance outside the White House on Wednesday.Credit: AP

“Ukraine will not legally recognise the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here,” Zelensky said during a news conference this week that was widely reported in world media.

Trump accused the Ukrainian president of harming peace negotiations by “boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal”. He said Zelensky was not being asked 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?”

“It’s inflammatory statements like Zelensky’s that [make] it so difficult to settle this war,” Trump said. “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.

“The statement made by Zelensky 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.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a news conference in Kyiv that recognising Crimea as Russian territory was not an option.Credit: AP

The reaction again illustrates Trump’s sensitivity to any comments from the Ukrainian leader he interprets as dragging the chain on a fast peace deal. However, Putin’s refusal to agree to a 30-day ceasefire last month went largely unremarked upon by the US president.

The latest spat came hours before Zelensky said he was cutting short an official trip to South Africa and returning to Ukraine after the deadliest Russian drone and missile strike on the capital, Kyiv, since July. At least nine people were killed in the attack on residential suburbs, and more than 70 were injured.

Putin annexed Crimea in February 2014 in the immediate aftermath of an uprising against then-Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, called the Revolution of Dignity, which also saw many military leaders defect. Russian forces quickly invaded, dismissed the Crimean government and held a referendum that purported to reveal majority support for joining Russia.

The US under then-president Barack Obama was also criticised for responding limply to the invasion with sanctions, which Trump echoed by referring to the loss of Crimea as “the Obama handover”. The territory was “lost years ago”, he said, and was not part of current discussions.

Artist Kaya Mar carries a painting depicting the three leaders to the gates of 10 Downing Street in London.Credit: AP

Trump’s comments came as US, Ukrainian and European officials met in London in a bid to advance peace talks, but the absence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who cancelled his visit at the last minute, hampered efforts.

A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer played down any disappointment over Rubio’s abrupt cancellation and said the talks involved “substantive technical meetings”.

In a post on X, Zelensky said “emotions have run high today”, a possible nod to Trump’s contributions. He said the meeting between Ukraine, the US, Britain, France and Germany was respectful and meaningful.

“Ukraine will always act in accordance with its Constitution,” Zelensky said. That document declares Crimea legally part of Ukraine.

Vice President J.D. Vance said it was time for the US to walk away from peace talks if a deal could not be struck.Credit: Getty Images

“We are absolutely sure that our partners in particular the USA will act in line with its strong decisions.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff was due to head to Moscow for further talks with the Kremlin, and Vice President J.D. Vance, on a trip to India, outlined a peace deal he characterised as “very fair” but which involved freezing territorial lines “at some level close to where they are today”.

“That means the Ukrainians and the Russians are both going to have to give up some of the territory they currently own. There’s going to have to be some territorial swaps,” Vance said.

“I wouldn’t say the exact lines, but we want the killing to stop, and the only way to really stop the killing is for the armies to both put down their weapons, to freeze this thing and to get on with the business of actually building a better Russia and a better Ukraine.”

Vance handed down an ultimatum: “It’s time for them to either say yes or for the United States to walk away from this process.”

There has been mounting pressure from Washington in the past week, indicating its patience is wearing thin. Rubio said the US would “move on” within days if it determined there was no avenue to end the war quickly.

Despite Trump’s claim to the contrary, there is little sign a deal is close. Zelensky has focused on calls for a ceasefire, resuscitating a US proposal from March, following a Russian drone strike on a bus that killed nine.

“It was an egregiously brutal attack, and an absolutely deliberate war crime,” he said. “In Ukraine, we insist on an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire ... This is absolutely possible, but only if Russia agrees and stops the killing.”

with Reuters

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.