Trump wants to force Zelensky to cede Crimea to Putin and kill Ukraine’s NATO hope

The recent meeting between the Russian president and Donald Trump has undoubtedly revealed the latter's true intentions regarding the war in Ukraine.

“President Donald Trump is ratcheting up pressure on Ukraine to agree to terms to end the war with Russia, echoing some of Moscow's talking points two days after meeting President Vladimir Putin,” writes Stephen Collinson | Analysis

— CNN (@cnn.com) 2025-08-18T06:03:06.500Z

Trump would like Zelensky and Ukraine to concede part of their territory to Russia, in particular Crimea, illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014 but never recognized by either Kiev or the international community.

In a post on his own social network, Donald Trump claimed that Ukraine could end the war “almost immediately” by ceding territory and renouncing NATO membership, an alliance that would offer lasting protection against future Russian invasions.

At the same time, he ruled out any idea of a ceasefire during the peace negotiations, as Russia stepped up its daily bombardment of Ukrainian cities, which has doubled since his return to the White House.

Trump remains evasive about the concessions demanded of Russia by his administration, with many believing there are simply none. In the past, he has even claimed that simply halting the invasion was, in his view, a sufficient concession on Moscow's part.