U.S. President Donald Trump has raised eyebrows once again with remarks directed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggesting that Kyiv could “end the war almost immediately” if it gave up its bid to join NATO and abandoned efforts to reclaim Crimea.

In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump wrote:

“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. 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!!!”

The comments came just hours before a high-stakes White House meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, followed by broader talks with European leaders, including representatives from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the EU, and NATO.

European officials fear Trump’s stance could pressure Ukraine into concessions favorable to Moscow. The delegation is expected to reaffirm strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and reject any peace deal that involves territorial losses.

Diplomats are also pushing Washington to clarify whether the U.S. would consider providing security guarantees for Ukraine outside of NATO membership.

Arriving in Washington late Sunday, Zelenskyy struck a note of unity and determination.

“I am grateful to the president of the United States for the invitation. We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably. I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace,” he posted on Telegram and X.

The talks come on the heels of Trump’s recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which many analysts described as a diplomatic win for Moscow. Trump, however, claimed the meeting had made “big progress” on U.S.-Russia relations.

Meanwhile, Russia’s envoy in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, insisted that any peace deal must include security guarantees for both Kyiv and Moscow.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Trump’s efforts to pursue peace but warned that any settlement must fully involve Ukraine and be backed by tougher sanctions on Russia.

Adding to the mix, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that Putin had, for the first time, signaled readiness to allow U.S. and European protection for Ukraine under a deal modeled on NATO’s Article 5 collective defense principle — though outside the alliance structure.