Washington, D.C. — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reiterated his commitment to securing a swift and lasting resolution to the ongoing conflict with Russia, ahead of his high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
Arriving in Washington on Monday, Zelenskyy emphasized the urgency of achieving not just peace, but a durable one. “We all want this conflict to end as soon as possible and with certainty. Peace must also last—not like it was years ago, when Putin just used it as a launching pad for a new attack after Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and a portion of our East—part of Donbas,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that Kyiv will not accept concessions that undermine its sovereignty, recalling the failures of the 1994 “security guarantees” that proved ineffective when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Highlighting the progress of Ukrainian troops in Donetsk and Sumy, Zelenskyy underscored that Crimea should never have been ceded, just as Ukrainians stood firm in defending Kyiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv after the 2022 escalation.
Expressing gratitude toward Washington, Zelenskyy said: “I am confident that we will defend Ukraine and effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance.”
His visit comes amid Trump’s recent remarks suggesting that Ukraine could “end the war with Russia almost immediately if it wants to.” Trump, who has previously ruled out Ukraine regaining Crimea or NATO membership, recently hailed his three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 as a “10 on 10,” according to Fox News.
The upcoming Trump–Zelenskyy meeting is expected to focus on charting a possible diplomatic path forward, though divisions remain over territorial concessions and security guarantees. For Zelenskyy, the central message remains clear: peace must be swift, certain, and enduring.
