President Donald Trump has claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prepared to relinquish Crimea as part of a potential ceasefire agreement aimed at ending Ukraine’s three-year-long war with Russia.
When asked whether he believed Zelenskyy was ready to cede the peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, Trump responded, “I think so.”
If confirmed, such a move would represent a significant shift in Ukraine’s longstanding position of refusing to surrender any territory in exchange for peace.
The development comes during what appears to be a pivotal week for diplomatic efforts to at least secure a pause in the fighting.
Over the weekend, both the Trump administration and Zelenskyy issued optimistic comments regarding the prospect of a deal.
On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov added to the momentum, stating that Russia is ready to begin peace negotiations with both Washington and Kyiv.
Trump met with Zelenskyy at the Vatican City on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters Sunday while boarding Air Force One in New Jersey, Trump said he believes a ceasefire agreement could soon be within reach, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to “stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal.”