'Crimea Will Stay with Russia,' Says Trump; Pushes for Deal to End Ukraine War

New Delhi: In a new interview published on Friday, US President Donald Trump declared that "Crimea will stay with Russia," as he continues to pressure Ukraine to make concessions to end the ongoing war. The remarks, made in a Time magazine interview, highlight Trump's stance on the contentious region seized by Russia in 2014, years before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump, who is set to mark his 100th day in office next week, expressed his belief that Ukraine's resistance to negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin is prolonging the conflict. He has repeatedly accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of not pursuing peace talks with Russia, which he argues would help bring an end to the war.

“Everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time,” Trump said about Crimea, referencing its status as a part of Russia since its annexation in 2014. He emphasised the long history of Russian presence on the peninsula, pointing out that Russia has maintained a significant military presence there, including submarines, for many years.

“The people speak largely Russian in Crimea,” Trump continued, referencing the peninsula’s demographic makeup. “But this was given by Obama. This wasn’t given by Trump,” he added, suggesting that the issue of Crimea’s status predated his presidency and was a result of policies under former President Barack Obama.

Trump's comments have sparked renewed debate over the future of Crimea and the broader geopolitical ramifications of the ongoing war in Ukraine. While the U.S. government has consistently supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Trump’s remarks indicate a different approach, one that favours a negotiated settlement with concessions, particularly on the fate of Crimea.