Trump appeared to place the onus of ending the war on the Ukrainian leader and said Ukraine should give up Crimea and its hopes of joining NATO — key Kremlin demands.

President Donald Trump on Sunday night declared that Kyiv would not be regaining Moscow-annexed Crimea, nor would it be allowed to join NATO.

President Trump has outlined specific parameters for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to pursue peace with Russia, including giving up Crimea and not pursuing NATO membership, ahead of a high-stakes meeting at the White House.

Trump: “President Zelensky can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight."

U.S. President Donald Trump told Ukraine to give up hopes of getting back annexed Crimea or joining NATO as he prepared to host President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders in Washington on Monday to press Kyiv into accepting a peace deal with Russia.

European leaders, as well as the Nato chief, joining Zelensky for talks with Trump in Washington makes it an extraordinarily high-level meeting. This reveals how high their concern is that the US president will help Vladimir Putin defeat Ukraine by backing his demands - such as no ceasefire before final settlement.

In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. 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!!!”

President Donald Trump said Ukraine won't get back Crimea during negotiations with Russia to end the war, but what is Crimea and why is it so important?

For more than a decade, the industrial heartland of eastern Ukraine has been the focal point of intense battles and diplomatic disputes between Kyiv and the Kremlin. Now it could be on the table in peace talks with the United States.

Donald Trump has made it clear that Crimea is off the table in any peace deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war, a declaration that strikes at the very heart of the decade-long conflict.