Washington, 18 August 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "can end the war with Russia almost immediately" while dismissing the idea of Ukraine joining NATO and returning the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula as unrealistic.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump said Zelensky "can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight."

"Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE," he added.

Trump's remarks came ahead of a planned meeting with Zelensky in Washington on Monday and reinforce Moscow's longstanding position that NATO membership for Ukraine and the return of Crimea are non-negotiable issues.

In the past, Trump has attributed partial - and at times even sole - responsibility for Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine to Zelensky.

Photo: Truth Social