US President Donald Trump, known for his ambiguous position on Russia's war against Ukraine, suddenly made a rigid statement to the Kremlin. In an interview with NBC News, he emphasized: "Russia will have to give all Ukraine," recognizing that Putin's initial goal was not part of the territory, but the full capture of the country.
“Russia wants all of Ukraine. And if I did not intervene, they would now continue to fight for all of Ukraine. She does not need only the piece she has - she needs the whole country, ”Trump said.
Moreover, he added that he is now he, not Putin, "heads the attack", referring to the initiative on future peaceful agreements. Such a change in tone is associated with Trump's recent meeting with President Vladimir Zelensky, which took place in the Vatican on April 27.
According to sources, it was during this conversation that Zelensky managed to convey to Trump the importance of a solid position on Russia and the need to maintain Ukraine's support.
"Without US pressure, Putin will not make concessions," Zelensky argued, emphasizing the need for an unconditional ceasefire as a basis for negotiations.
Trump, according to the sources of Axios and The Economist, recognized this logic, although he did not make official comments after the meeting. He only added in an interview that America is "closer to one of the sides" without specifying - with which one.
In parallel in the US Congress, they talked again about new sanctions against Moscow, including the initiative of the Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on 500% of imports from imports from countries that buy Russian oil, gas or uranium, as well as a ban on the purchase of Russian state bonds of the Russian Federation.
Trump emphasized: “We want a peace agreement. We believe that they are quite close to this, ”noting that it will save life and save money.
Interestingly, Trump had avoided clear criticism of Putin, and left the issue of Crimea open. During the conversation with Zelensky, he allegedly did not insist on the position of Kiev, but according to unofficial data, he considered the option that the United States could theoretically recognize Crimea in Russian - without legal confirmation by Ukraine.
Zelensky, according to the sources, replied rigidly: "Crimea is Ukraine", and there can be no concessions on territorial integrity.
At the same time, the President of Ukraine made it clear that he was ready for compromises, but only if security guarantees. Without them, any ceasefire is a fiction, not a path to peace.
