Donald Trump believes Ukraine's Zelensky is willing to cede Crimea to Russia

During an interview US President Donald Trump indicated his conviction that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would consider giving up Crimea to Russia through a ceasefire agreement. Trump made this statement as the United States faced its most important week of Ukraine peace negotiations. Trump directed pressure toward Russian President Vladimir Putin to make him stop his military operations and reach an agreement to permanently cease the conflict that started when Russia launched its complete invasion of Ukraine during February 2022.

The New Jersey reporters sought Trump's thoughts about whether Zelensky would surrender Crimea and Trump replied, “Oh, I think so.” Trump made this remark after participating with Zelensky at the Pope Francis funeral event at the Vatican. During their brief conversation Trump informed reporters about discussing Crimea with the Russian leader after Moscow annexed the Black Sea peninsula in 2014. President Trump maintains that he holds the ability to bring an end to the Ukrainian conflict and he preserved this position before he took office as well as afterward. Trump pushed for Putin to end military action by meeting at the negotiation table to sign an existing framework of peace terms on Sunday. The White House made public statements about leaving their engagement role if there was not quick improvement on negotiations and Trump announced he would grant talks just two weeks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also pressed that the deal was "close". Speaking to broadcaster NBC on Sunday, Rubio said, "We're close, but we're not close enough" to a deal that could bring a halt to the fighting. However, he said that this week is "going to be a very critical week".

The conversation between Rubio and Lavrov during Sunday focused on starting talks for establishing enduring peace. The conflict continues against American frustration. Ukrainian forces conducted a massive drone operation inside Bryansk region which resulted in one civilian fatality. According to Russian authorities they hold authority over 20% of Ukrainian lands with Crimea among those possessed states.