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Zelensky insists Russia must end war ahead of talks with Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that the responsibility for ending the war lies with Russia, ahead of crucial talks in Washington on Monday with US President Donald Trump, who has urged…

By Modupeola Showunmi 3 min Aug 18, 2025

His remarks came just hours before he and European leaders were due to meet Trump in the US capital, following Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, which failed to produce a ceasefire.

Trump, abandoning his earlier push for a temporary truce in favor of a comprehensive peace deal, said late Sunday that Zelensky could bring the conflict to an end “almost immediately, if he wants to.”

On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”

Upon arriving in Washington, Zelensky responded, “Russia must end this war, which it itself started. Ukrainians are fighting for their land and independence. I believe our combined strength with America and our European partners will compel Russia into a real peace.”

The White House confirmed that Trump will first meet Zelensky one-on-one before holding a joint session with leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Meanwhile, China has called on “all parties” to swiftly agree on peace.

This marks Zelensky’s first trip to Washington since a heated exchange in February with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who accused him of being “ungrateful.”

As diplomacy unfolds, Russia has intensified its assaults, launching 140 drones and four ballistic missiles overnight. A drone strike on an apartment block in Kharkiv killed at least seven people, while Moscow-installed authorities reported two deaths from Ukrainian shelling in occupied Kherson and Donetsk.

Speaking in Brussels before his trip, Zelensky welcomed Washington’s offer of new security guarantees for Ukraine, describing them as “historic.” Trump has floated the idea of a defense pledge for Ukraine outside the NATO framework, which Moscow considers a red line.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that Russia had shown “some concessions” regarding five occupied Ukrainian regions, with specific discussions on Donetsk expected Monday. Reports suggest Trump is inclined to back Russian demands for territory in the Donbas in exchange for freezing the front line in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia a move Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and declared the annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, and Zaporizhzhia in 2022, despite not fully controlling them. Zelensky has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine’s constitution forbids surrendering any territory.

Zelensky insists Russia must end war ahead of talks with Trump

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