Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine cannot join NATO, preceding his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump indicated that Zelenskyy has the power to end the war with Russia immediately or continue the conflict. Trump’s statement was made on Truth Social. He referenced the origins of the conflict, mentioning that Crimea could not be recovered by Obama and that Ukraine’s membership in NATO was not possible. This statement came ahead of a meeting involving U.S., Ukrainian, and European leaders scheduled in Washington. Prior to this, Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15. Trump mentioned that this meeting did not help to stop the war in Ukraine. He emphasized a peace agreement instead of a ceasefire. Trump said that Putin is ready for negotiations, and the decision is now with Zelenskyy. The Washington meeting will also include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and British PM Keir Starmer.
