US President Donald Trump has made a controversial statement asserting that the Crimean Peninsula “will stay” with Russia, further fueling debate over his stance on the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
In an interview with Time magazine, Trump blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for triggering the war and stated that millions of lives have been lost due to Ukraine’s refusal to cede Crimea.
Trump said the region has long been aligned with Russia both culturally and militarily, and criticized the Obama administration for allowing the annexation to happen. “The people speak largely Russian in Crimea… this was given by Obama. This wasn’t given by Trump,” he said.
He also claimed that Zelensky “understands” Crimea’s future lies with Russia, and that “everybody understands” the historical ties between Crimea and Russia.
Trump also said Ukraine will never join NATO, a position he believes could have prevented the war in the first place. “From day one, that’s what caused the war to start—talks of NATO membership,” he said, adding that such discussions created a hostile climate.
As part of proposed U.S. peace talks, the Trump administration has reportedly offered that Ukraine may pursue EU membership but will not join NATO. According to Reuters, the U.S. proposal also includes:
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Formal (de jure) recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea
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Informal (de facto) recognition of Russian control over parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson
These areas, mostly in southern and eastern Ukraine, were occupied by Russia during the war.
The proposal has sparked intense reactions globally, as critics say it legitimizes territorial aggression and undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty.
