PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump says there has been a shift in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s approach to peace negotiations, noting he is “calmer” and now agrees that concessions to Russia on Crimea may be part of the peace process.
👥 Who’s Involved: U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
📍 Where & When: President Trump and President Zelensky met in Vatican City and Rome over the weekend, with Trump commenting after returning to the U.S. on Sunday evening.
💬 Key Quote: Trump remarked, “I see him as calmer, I think he understands the picture, and I think he wants to make a deal.”
⚠️ Impact: The discussion suggests a potential shift in Ukraine’s stance on Crimea, indicating possible concessions in the ongoing conflict with Russia to secure peace.
IN FULL:
Following a recent meeting in Rome, President Donald J. Trump has commented on changes in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s stance in peace negotiations. The discussions, which took place around Trump’s visit to honor the deceased Pope Francis, suggest Zelensky’s attitude toward a possible peace agreement with Russia may be evolving.
“We had a good meeting, it was a nice meeting,” Trump said of the encounter, praising the Ukrainian—with whom he has occasionally had fractious relations—as a leader who “wants to do something good for his country; he thinks he’s doing a good job and he’s working hard.”
“I see him as calmer, I think he understands the picture, and I think he wants to make a deal,” the America First leader said.
President Trump also expressed sympathy for the Ukrainian leader’s situation, which he described as “very tough,” adding, “He’s fighting a much bigger force, much bigger.”
Zelensky had previously maintained a firm stance on regaining Crimea, a majority-Russian territory which was annexed to Russia proper under the Barack Obama presidency well over a decade ago, when Zelensky was still working as a comic actor. President Trump and the First Son, Donald Trump Jr., previously said that this stance indicated Zelensky was not serious about making peace, with Crimea’s status being a bare minimum concession.
Zelensky’s position is slightly complicated by articles of the Ukrainian constitution stating that the country’s borders are “indivisible and inviolable” and cannot be altered except by a national referendum—with an “eternal clause” in the constitution stating that it cannot be amended to remove these articles.
President Trump also issued a veiled warning to the Russian government, noting that he was “very disappointed” by a series of intense missile strikes in recent weeks, as a ceasefire is supposed to be getting negotiated.
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