Trump says Crimea will stay Russia’s

President Trump said Crimea will remain part of Russia, a stipulation that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made clear he’s not on board with.

“Crimea will stay with Russia. Zelenskyy understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time,” Mr. Trump said in a Time magazine interview conducted Tuesday and published Friday.

Earlier this week in comments made to reporters, Mr. Zelenskyy said his country would not accept being forced to recognize Moscow’s control of Crimea.

Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014.

Mr. Trump lashed out at Mr. Zelenskyy on social media over the comment, saying such obstinance is why Ukraine is a “killing field.”

Mr. Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social that Mr. Zelenskyy’s stand is “very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama and is not even a point of discussion.”

The president added, “Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired? The area also houses, for many years before ’the Obama handover,’ major Russian submarine bases. It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War.”

The president said Mr. Zelenskyy has “nothing to boast about” and called the war in Ukraine “dire.”

“He can have Peace or he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever,” Mr. Trump wrote. 

Special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Others from the U.S. met earlier in the week with officials from the U.K., Europe and Ukraine to discuss a peace deal.

Meanwhile, Mr. Trump slammed Mr. Putin in a social media post Thursday for bombing Ukraine that day and killing at least 12 people.

“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying,” Mr. Trump wrote. “Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”

Then Friday, a Russian drone killed three in Ukraine.

Also that day, a senior Russian military officer was killed in a car bomb, with Russian officials saying that “there are reasons to believe that Ukrainian special services were involved in the killing.” Ukraine hasn’t commented on the attack.

Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, told the BBC on Thursday that Ukraine may have to give up land to secure a peace deal with Russia.

“One of the scenarios is … to give up territory. It’s not fair, but for the peace, temporary peace maybe, it can be a solution — temporary,” Mr. Klitschko said.