Despite bold declarations from US President Donald Trump that a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia is within reach, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has once again rejected a key element of the proposed settlement, highlighting deep fractures in the negotiation process and casting doubt over the prospects for a swift resolution to the war.

In a post on Truth Social on April 25, Trump announced that “most of the major points” of a peace framework had been agreed to by Moscow and Kiev, with only final details remaining. Calling it a “good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine,” Trump expressed strong optimism, asserting that “SUCCESS seems to be in the future!”

According to reports, the proposed agreement – brokered by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who held extensive discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin – includes several controversial clauses. Chief among them is US recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, a permanent freezing of the front lines where they currently stand, and acceptance of Russia’s control over large swathes of four Ukrainian regions annexed by Moscow following referendums in 2022.

Trump, speaking to Time magazine, was blunt: “Crimea will stay with Russia.” This, he argued, reflects reality on the ground and should serve as a cornerstone of any final peace settlement. He also emphasized that part of the deal would involve Ukraine abandoning its NATO aspirations – a goal Trump insists triggered the conflict in the first place.

However, in a move that immediately........

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