Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that the responsibility for ending the ongoing conflict lies squarely with Russia, as he prepares for critical talks in Washington with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Zelensky’s statement came just hours before a planned meeting with Trump and several European leaders, following a Trump-Putin summit in Alaska that failed to deliver a ceasefire agreement.
Trump, shifting away from his earlier demands for an immediate ceasefire, is now pushing for a broader peace deal. On Truth Social, he claimed the war could be ended “almost immediately, if [Zelensky] wants to,” and reiterated his long-held stance:
“Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”
In response, Zelensky, upon landing in Washington, emphasized:
“Russia must end this war, which it itself started.”
The conflict, now in its fourth year, remains one of the most pressing global security issues, with geopolitical stakes tied to NATO expansion, territorial sovereignty, and U.S.-Russia relations.
