US President Donald Trump has said Ukraine will not be able to join NATO or reclaim Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, as part of any potential peace settlement with Moscow.

Speaking ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s arrival in Washington for high-stakes talks, Trump insisted the war could end quickly if Zelensky “wants to,” but stressed that NATO membership for Kyiv was “off the table.”

The US leader also ruled out any prospect of Ukraine regaining Crimea, a territory Moscow seized in violation of international law.

Zelensky, who landed in the United States on Tuesday, accompanied by several European Union leaders, said he remained confident of securing lasting security guarantees for his country. 

Trump’s special envoy added that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed in principle to “robust” security commitments for Ukraine, which could include a NATO-style collective defence arrangement.

Analysts suggest today’s White House meeting may prove even more decisive for Ukraine’s future than last week’s US-Russia summit in Alaska.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Russian forces continued to make incremental advances in eastern Ukraine. Overnight air strikes killed at least five people, Ukrainian officials confirmed.

Source: BBC

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