Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal posted Ukrainian President Zelensky’s comments rejecting the recognition of Crimea as Russian. President Trump was not pleased because it hindered any opportunity to negotiate. The WSJ, no fan of President Trump’s, posted a negative article about Trump’s efforts after Trump’s response.
The Journal wrote:
“Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea,” Zelensky said at a press conference here on Tuesday. “There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution.”
…
The Journal said Zelensky’s dismissal upends Trump’s latest gambit to halt the war in Ukraine—now in its fourth year—and casts new uncertainty on the future of the relationship between Kyiv and Washington, which Trump has made conditional on a quick deal.
Zelensky said Russia should agree to a cease-fire before further talks to demonstrate “serious steps, and not childishness.”
Trump Responded
“Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, “Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.”
“This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion. Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?
“The area also houses, for many years before “the Obama handover,” major Russian submarine bases.
“It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that make it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever.
“The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,‘ and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine and Russia get out of this Complete and Total MESS that would have never started if I were President!”
Emphasis added.
The Wall Street Journal Responds with Zelensky’s Comments:
Their headline read: Trump Blames Zelensky as Ukraine Peace Talks Stumble.
There is still no peace plan, and following Zelensky’s comments, envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President Vance did not attend today’s reportedly make-or-break meeting.
A meeting Wednesday in London that was billed as a make-or-break moment for talks fizzled after Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff abruptly canceled plans to attend. That followed Zelensky’s pushback against a U.S. proposal for a peace deal—that Washington legally recognize Russian sovereignty over the Crimea peninsula, which Russia has occupied since 2014.
…
But the Ukrainians pushed back on a range of issues. They said they wanted a cease-fire in place before discussing a final deal, rejected legally handing over Crimea and argued the deal would simply allow Russia to reinvade at a later date unless the U.S. pledged to help defend Ukraine, even indirectly.
The WSJ quoted experts:
Most analysts contend that the current terms are a far better deal for Russia than Ukraine. “Without any real pressure, the Russians are not budging and playing for time, and they are getting what they want: a U.S. that is so frustrated with the negotiations that they seem to just want Ukraine to say yes to accepting Russia’s maximalist demands,” said Alina Polyakova, president and chief executive of the Center for European Policy Analysis, a Washington think tank. “If the U.S. gives up and moves on, the Russians would consider this a win.”
The concluding paragraph:
Much depends on the military support the U.S. can offer not only Ukraine but also its European allies. British and French officials are working on a plan to create a coalition force that could be placed inside Ukraine after a cease-fire is in place to further deter Russia from reinvading. However, they will only put boots on the ground if the U.S. pledges to offer logistical and air support if Russia were to restart the war. So far, the U.S. hasn’t offered such help. Trump has argued that a minerals deal would put U.S. investment inside Ukraine and act as a de facto security guarantee.
Opinion
It’s hard to imagine that Zelensky’s handlers will agree to any plan they come up with; Zelensky won’t agree, and the media will say Trump caved to Russia.
Zelensky has made peace impossible by adding Crimea to the mix, along with demands that the US put the military in his country permanently. Any time there is progress, he moves the goal posts and makes statements like NATO or the US have to be in Ukraine to protect them. The war started in part because Zelensky decided he wanted to join NATO.
“The path to peace is not easy, but Ukraine has been and remains committed to peace efforts,” Zelensky adviser Andriy Yermak said Wednesday after arriving in London.
Those words belie the reality.
The WSJ quotes “experts” who claim the deal is far more beneficial to Russia. However, it is a starting point. Zelensky won’t start.
While it appears Ukraine has no cards to play, they do have one. Zelensky is playing the media and cozying up to warmongers in Europe and the US in the hopes of dragging the US into direct war with Russia. The EU cannot win a war against Russia without the US.
NEW: David Sacks says Democrats now support endless war, Zelensky wants the war to never end, and Joe Biden could have easily stopped the war in its first month by agreeing to the Istanbul Accords.
“Zelensky basically says the war needs to go on forever. If the war is over, he… pic.twitter.com/oR83maM548
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) March 4, 2025
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