President Trump at the White House yesterday. Credit…Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

The U.S. pressured Ukraine to accept a peace proposal

President Trump lashed out yesterday at President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine after he rejected a U.S. plan to end the war with Russia. “He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Trump wrote on social media.

Vice President JD Vance outlined the U.S. proposal, which closely aligns with Russia’s goals. It includes a “freeze” of territorial lines in the three-year war, acceptance of the Russian annexation of Crimea and a promise that Ukraine will not join NATO.

It was the first time a U.S. official had publicly laid out a peace plan that favors Russia in such stark terms. Vance said the U.S. would “walk away” from the diplomatic effort if both Ukraine and Russia refused to accept the terms. But Zelensky was clearly the target.

Hours earlier, Zelensky said his country would never accept Russia’s 2014 occupation of Crimea as legal. “There is nothing to talk about,” he said. “This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine.”

Crimea: Trump accused Zelensky of making “inflammatory” statements. “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?” Trump wrote. “The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!”

Context: Russia currently occupies close to 20 percent of Ukraine. A freeze would essentially force Ukraine to surrender huge swaths of land to Russia.