Topline
President Donald Trump told Time Magazine that “Crimea will stay with Russia”—a concession Ukraine has strenuously objected to—a day after Trump issued rare criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin as the U.S. continues to try negotiating a peace agreement.
Trump said he believed “Russia is ready” for a peace deal.
Key Facts
“Crimea will stay with Russia,” Trump told Time, suggesting, “[Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with [Russia] for a long time.”
Russia forcibly annexed the Crimean Peninsula shortly after invading Ukraine in 2014, and Zelenskyy has repeatedly refused to surrender the Russian-occupied territory in peace talks with Russia in the latest conflict.
While speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said Russia agreed to “pretty big concessions” to end the war in Ukraine by no longer saying he wants “the whole country,” hours after he pleaded with Putin on Truth Social to “get the peace deal DONE!”
Trump’s request to accelerate peace talks came with a rare criticism of Putin, as Trump noted he was “not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV” earlier on Thursday, which Zelenskyy said killed at least nine people, with Trump saying they were “not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!”
On Wednesday, Trump accused Zelenskyy of holding up negotiations for a peace deal, saying he was making “inflammatory comments” and prolonging the “killing field” after Zelenskyy refused to give up Crimea.
Trump, who said he believed “Russia is ready” for a peace deal, also said he “thought it might be easier to deal with Zelenskyy” than Putin, though “so far, it’s been harder, but that’s OK.”
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What To Watch For
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow on Friday, though details of their meeting have not been disclosed. Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy aide, and envoy for international cooperation Kirill Dmitriev were also reportedly present.
Crucial Quote
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing,” Trump wrote Thursday. “Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!
When Has Trump Criticized Putin?
In March, Trump told NBC News he was “very angry” and “pissed off” after Putin criticized the legitimacy of Zelenskyy’s leadership, suggesting Putin’s criticism was “not going in the right direction.” Trump, who threatened to impose tariffs on “all oil coming out of Russia,” previously accused Zelenskyy of being a “dictator” who “refuses to have elections,” though he later appeared to walk back his statement. Trump issued critical statements on Putin shortly after his inauguration in January, reportedly saying he believed Putin was “destroying Russia” as conflict continued in Ukraine. “Russia is bigger, they have more soldiers to lose, but that’s no way to run a country,” Trump said. Trump also condemned Putin during his first presidency, accusing Putin in 2018 of being “mindless” and an “animal” for what he claimed were chemical attacks in Syria. Despite his criticism, Trump praised Putin earlier that year and said the Russian leader was “extremely strong and powerful.”
When Has Trump Criticized Zelenskyy?
A feud between Trump and Zelenskyy escalated in the weeks after Trump’s inauguration, as Trump called on the Ukrainian leader to accelerate peace talks. In February, Trump called on Zelenskyy to “move fast” to achieve peace or “he is not going to have a country left.” Zelenskyy responded by claiming Trump has “helped Putin out” by holding talks without inviting Ukrainian officials, as he warned Ukraine would not accept a peace deal if only Trump and Russia were involved in negotiations. At the time, Trump said he believed he and Zelenskyy “have a very good relationship.” During Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House on Feb. 28, a meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office quickly became tense and verged on a shouting match. In the meeting, Vance defended Trump’s push for a peace deal with Putin, suggesting the “path for peace” included “engaging in diplomacy,” to which Zelenskyy responded by arguing Putin was unreliable. Vance accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful,” while Trump claimed Zelenskyy was “gambling with World War III.”
Key Background
Trump has claimed for years he would have Ukraine’s war with Russia “settled in one day,” while also suggesting Russia would never have invaded Ukraine if the U.S. had a “real president.” He attempted to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia in February, though the Trump administration held talks without any Ukrainian delegates present. Ukraine agreed in March to an immediate 30-day ceasefire in negotiations with the U.S., which said at the time, “the ball is now in [Russia’s]
court.” Terms of the ceasefire and what concessions, if any, Ukraine and Russia would have to make in the deal are unknown, though Zelenskyy has said Ukraine needs to be in a “strong position” to accept a peace deal and that lasting security guarantees are needed. Earlier this week, Putin said he was open to hold direct talks with Ukraine for the first time, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed frustration about the lack of progress and said the U.S. was prepared to “walk away” from negotiations.
Further Reading
Putin Says Russia Is Open To Direct Talks With Ukraine—After U.S. Threatens To Leave Negotiations (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2025/04/25/trump-says-crimea-will-stay-with-russia-after-rare-criticism-of-putin/