Desk: America is making every effort to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Donald Trump of bias, alleging he favors Russia. Trump has openly stated that he wants Crimea to be given to Russia, including Ukrainian territories. He has issued an ultimatum to both countries, saying they should adopt a conciliatory approach or he will abandon the peace deal altogether. On Friday, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio stated that if immediate progress towards ceasefire isn’t made, America will step back.
In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, followed by conducting a referendum there, which the global community refused to recognize as part of Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated he’s not willing to cede it to Russia. However, aligning with Trump’s peace deal could greatly benefit Russia in this matter, possibly leading to Crimea being recognized as part of Russia. Currently, Putin has rejected Trump’s peace deal proposal.
The US State Department has not made any explicit statements regarding Crimea. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have reached a level where conclusions should be drawn, but neither country is supporting his efforts to end the war.
Addressing reporters at the White House, Trump said, “If for some reason either side makes this very difficult, we’ll say, ‘You’re fools,’ and then we’ll walk away.” When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was delaying talks, Trump responded, “I don’t think so.”