Trump Sends Stern Message to Zelensky Ahead of Washington Meeting

Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has delivered a stern message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, urging him to consider an immediate ceasefire with Russia. Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated that Zelensky can either halt the conflict immediately or continue the war, emphasizing that some issues “never change.”

Trump referenced past events, noting that twelve years ago former President Barack Obama returned Crimea without firing a shot, and reiterated that Ukraine cannot join NATO.

The announcement comes ahead of a high-level meeting in Washington, where Zelensky will meet with Trump and several European leaders to discuss the future of the conflict. According to reports, the Washington meeting could prove even more consequential than last week’s Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.

European participants expected at the meeting include NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It remains unclear how many of them will attend the White House portion of the talks.

The Trump administration has so far not announced any new sanctions on Russia following the Alaska summit. Analysts suggest that the Washington meeting could provide a platform for direct negotiations on a ceasefire and a potential roadmap to reduce hostilities in Ukraine.