Trump Blames Zelensky for Stalling Peace Efforts in Ukraine Conflict

April 23, 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of undermining peace negotiations with Russia by refusing to acknowledge the loss of Crimea. Trump’s remarks, shared on the Truth Social platform, were a direct response to Zelensky’s recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, where the Ukrainian leader reiterated that Ukraine does not legally recognize Crimea as lost and does not consider the issue open for discussion.

According to Trump, Zelensky’s position is detrimental to ongoing efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has persisted since February 2022. In his post, Trump pointed out that Crimea was “lost” to Ukraine in 2014 during the Obama administration, following Russia’s annexation of the peninsula through a controversial referendum that the international community did not recognize.

“Why didn’t they fight for it 11 years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a single shot being fired?” Trump questioned, overlooking the fact that Zelensky did not take office until 2019.

Historical accounts indicate that in 2014, Ukraine was grappling with significant internal political turmoil following the Euromaidan protests and was unable to mount a substantial military defense, as Russian forces had already taken control of key strategic locations on the peninsula, including bases of the Black Sea Fleet.

While Trump clarified that the U.S. does not require Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, he labeled Zelensky’s statements as “inflammatory” and counterproductive to the peace process. He characterized the situation in Ukraine as “dire,” highlighting the severe human and territorial losses the country has faced.

Trump’s criticism comes amid a visit by his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Russia. Witkoff departed Paris on April 23 and is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 25 to discuss potential ceasefire terms and a peace settlement. Previous discussions between Witkoff and Putin in February, March, and April of this year have yet to yield significant progress, despite talks of a possible 30-day truce. Meanwhile, Russia continues to assert its control over the territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, a stance that Kyiv firmly opposes.