Last month, President Donald Trump voiced his frustration with Russia after missile strikes were launched during ongoing peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Before boarding Air Force One, Trump took time to discuss various topics with reporters, including the peace discussions between Russia and Ukraine, talks with Iran, and the recent death of Virginia Giuffre, who had accused Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump shared that his recent meeting with Zelenskyy, which took place before Pope Francis’ funeral, had been productive. “We’ll see how things develop in the coming days,” Trump said. However, he expressed disappointment when Russia launched missiles during the talks. “I was very disheartened to see missiles being fired by Russia,” he added.
During their conversation, Zelenskyy raised the topic of Crimea, a major point of contention. U.S. officials have suggested a possible ceasefire plan that would recognize Russia’s control over Crimea—territory it annexed in 2014—and freeze the current frontlines. However, Zelenskyy has made it clear that Crimea is a non-negotiable issue.
Zelenskyy had previously stated in 2022 that Russian aggression against Ukraine and Europe started with Crimea and must end with its liberation. He has rejected any proposal that would allow Russia to claim ownership of the region. Trump, on the other hand, placed the blame for the loss of Crimea on the Obama and Biden administrations, criticizing their handling of the situation.
“Crimea was essentially handed over by Obama and Biden about 11 or 12 years ago. It’s been a long time,” Trump said to reporters. “I don’t understand why it’s being brought up now, after all these years. I suggested to Zelenskyy that maybe he should ask Obama why it was given up without a fight.”
Trump also criticized Putin for targeting civilian areas, including cities and towns, with missile strikes. “There’s no reason to launch missiles into these regions. It seems like Putin might not want to end the conflict anytime soon. A different approach may be needed—financial measures or secondary sanctions. The loss of life is heartbreaking.”
Trump didn’t hold back in his criticism of Zelenskyy either, especially after the Ukrainian leader ruled out negotiating over Crimea. Zelenskyy made a bold statement in The Wall Street Journal, declaring, “Ukraine will not legally recognize Crimea’s occupation. There’s nothing to discuss.” Trump warned that this stance could make peace talks with Russia more difficult, as Crimea’s status has been off the table for years, following its annexation during Obama’s presidency.