Donald Trump says Zelensky 'prolonging killing field' after refusing to 'hand Putin Crimea'

Donald Trump has lashed out at, saying the Ukrainian leader is prolonging the ‘killing field’ after he pushed back on giving Crimea to in a potential peace plan.

Zelensky ruled out the idea of as part of any agreement before high-level talks in London among US, European and Ukrainian officials - which has now been scrapped. “There is nothing to talk about — it is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said. During talks last week in Paris, US officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion,” Trump has now written on Truth Social. “Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?”

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Trump said that “inflammatory statements like Zelensky’s” are making “it so difficult to settle this War.” The President went on to say: “He has nothing to boast about! The situation for is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country.

"I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukranian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever. The statement made by Zelenskyy 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. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this complete and total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!"

The planned meeting on Wednesday between top US, British, French and Ukrainian diplomats to push forward a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine was stopped at the last minute, with US Vice President JD Vance saying negotiations are reaching a moment of truth.

“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance told reporters during a visit to Agra, India.

He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide further details of the proposal.

Vance’s comments came a day after ruled out ceding territory to Russia as part of any potential peace agreement, calling it a nonstarter. There appears to have been some confusion over whether the American proposal during talks last week over Ukraine ceding the Crimea were 'final' or 'just ideas'.

When these 'ideas' surfaced in media reports several days later, Ukrainian diplomats were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to an unnamed official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

Zelensky said today that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day.

“We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Zelensky wrote on his Telegram page, in accordance with a proposal he said the United States tabled six weeks ago.

Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land. Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because it has battlefield momentum.