Hours before hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, United States President Donald Trump declared that Kyiv would not be joining NATO as part of any future peace deal with Russia, effectively signaling a major shift in Washington’s position.
Speaking on his Truth Social platform late Sunday, Trump wrote: “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to… Remember how it started. No getting back Obama-given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”
From Ceasefire to Permanent Deal
The remarks came just two days after Trump’s high-profile Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which ended without a ceasefire agreement. Instead, Trump pivoted towards pressing for a “permanent peace deal,” dropping his earlier insistence on an immediate truce.
According to US envoy Steve Witkoff, Putin has privately signaled openness to a NATO-like security arrangement for Ukraine — one that could see Europe and the United States provide Article 5-style guarantees to defend Kyiv against future aggression, without granting formal NATO membership.
Zelenskyy Repeats Call for Security Guarantees
Arriving in Washington late Sunday, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s demand for robust and enforceable security guarantees, contrasting them with the failed assurances of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.
“Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then,” he said, adding, “Just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022.”
Zelenskyy posted on social media that he was “grateful” for Trump’s invitation and emphasized the shared goal of ending the war “quickly and reliably.”
A Rare Wartime Gathering of Leaders
Today’s White House meeting is set to bring together an extraordinary cast of leaders in what officials describe as an unprecedented wartime summit. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will be joined by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Diplomatic sources say European officials are concerned Trump may attempt to pressure Zelenskyy into concessions — particularly after Kyiv was excluded from last week’s Trump-Putin talks in Alaska. The memory of Zelenskyy’s tense February Oval Office meeting, which ended abruptly after Trump accused him of “gambling with World War Three,” also looms large.
Shifting Dynamics, High Stakes
European capitals have since worked diligently to repair ties between Kyiv and Washington. Zelenskyy has been advised to frame his demands in deal-making language that resonates with Trump. Recent gestures — including a minerals agreement giving the US a financial stake in Ukraine and private talks between Trump and Zelenskyy at the Vatican — have helped to soften relations.
Trump, meanwhile, has grown increasingly frustrated with Russia’s protracted war. He recently called Putin “absolutely crazy” and shortened his deadline for a peace deal, even threatening new sanctions on Moscow.
Still, on the battlefield, Russian forces continue to make gains, occupying nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
‘We’re Still a Long Way Off’
Despite talk of “game-changing” guarantees, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned against premature optimism. “We’re still a long ways off,” he told CBS on Sunday, tempering expectations of an imminent breakthrough.
As Trump hosts Zelenskyy and Europe’s top leaders today, the stakes could hardly be higher. The question now is whether the United States’ new conditions — no NATO membership, no return of Crimea, but possible NATO-like protections — represent the first step towards peace, or the start of a new phase of political pressure on Kyiv.
⚡️ Major summit vibes! Ukraine seeks security guarantees 🛡️, Trump sets “No NATO” terms 🚫🇺🇦, world watches closely 🌍👀