Trump claims Zelenskyy open to giving up Crimea after Rome meeting

The Guardian reported the information.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday, April 27, Trump was asked about Zelenskyy's potential willingness to cede territory and responded, "Oh, I think so."

According to the report, the American leader made this conclusion after a 15-minute conversation with Zelenskyy in Rome during the funeral of Pope Francis.

According to the official position, Ukraine has no intention of ceding its sovereign territories, including Crimea, to Russia. Zelenskyy himself has insisted that this territory is "the property of the Ukrainian people."

Despite the contradictory statements about Crimea, Trump expressed positive impressions from his personal meeting with Zelenskyy, calling him "calmer" compared to their previous encounters, referring to their earlier dispute at the White House.

The American president noted that Zelenskyy "wants to do something good for his country" and is "working hard."

Trump also expressed his "surprise and disappointment" that Russia struck Ukraine after negotiations between Vladimir Putin and his peace envoy Steve Witkoff. He emphasized that he was "very disappointed" by this fact.

In response to a question about his expectations from Putin, Trump said, "I want him to stop shooting."

"Well, I want him to stop shooting. Sit down and sign the deal. We have the confines of a deal, I believe, and I want him to sign it and be done with it," the American leader emphasized.

When asked whether he trusts Putin, Trump responded ambiguously: "I'll let you know in about two weeks." When pressed to clarify what he expects to happen in two weeks, Trump evaded the question.

• On Saturday, April 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Vatican for the first time since their dispute at the White House at the end of February.