US President Donald Trump indicated that he does not foresee Ukraine joining NATO in the future, reaffirming his administration’s view that Kyiv should abandon its aspirations to join the military alliance.
Trump stated in an interview with Time Magazine, published on Friday, that he believes Ukraine will never be able to join NATO, attributing Kyiv’s aspirations to Russia’s invasion.
He suggested that discussions about joining NATO triggered the conflict, claiming that if those talks had not occurred, the war might not have started.
These statements by Trump come as he increases pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to accept a peace deal, which some critics argue favors Russian leader Vladimir Putin. This is part of Trump’s 2024 campaign promise to end the war swiftly.
Trump’s assertion that Russia initiated the conflict due to Ukraine’s NATO ambitions mirrors the Kremlin’s rationale for its invasion. However, Ukraine’s goal of joining NATO was dismissed in 2008 when a summit in Bucharest, Romania, declined to offer a membership action plan.
Throughout his campaign, Trump has claimed he could secure a deal at the beginning of his term, referencing his rapport with Putin.
He explained that his claim about ending the war on Day One was exaggerated for effect, acknowledging it was partly jestful but expressing confidence that the conflict would end.
Trump has expressed willingness to withdraw from peace talks if no progress is made. At a recent meeting in Paris, the US presented Ukrainian and European officials with a proposal that would effectively freeze the conflict along current battle lines.
The US is also reportedly open to recognizing Russia’s control over Crimea as part of an agreement, according to Bloomberg.
Freezing the conflict would entail a compromise for Ukraine, which aims to reclaim all territories taken by Russia since 2014, including Crimea, and following Putin’s 2022 full-scale invasion.
Trump, when questioned about Crimea, remarked that it was handed to Russia by Barack Obama, not himself, and noted the long-standing presence of Russian submarines and Russian-speaking population in Crimea.
When asked if he would accept a deal that includes Crimea and other regions seized by Russia, Trump stated, “Crimea will stay with Russia,” adding that Zelenskiy “understands that.”
Crimea was unlawfully annexed by Russia in 2014, in defiance of international law.
Trump has expressed frustration over the slow pace of efforts to end the war and criticized Zelenskiy in a social media post for opposing recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, citing Ukraine’s constitution.
These comments have raised concerns in Kyiv and among its allies that the US president’s rush to secure a deal might jeopardize European collective security.
The US president also criticized Putin following a recent large-scale missile and drone strike on Kyiv, describing it as “unnecessary and poorly timed,” in a post on his social media platform and urged Putin to “STOP!”
