Russia on Thursday accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of sabotaging peace efforts after he refused to recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea earlier this week.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters that it was becoming clearer by the minute that Zelenskyy lacked the capacity to negotiate a deal to end the war.
Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that recognising Crimea as part of Russia would violate Ukraine’s constitution. Ukraine says it is committed to seeking a full and unconditional ceasefire.
After talks with the U.S, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day truce last month, but Russian President Vladimir Putin responded with a list of conditions and questions, saying such a pause would give Ukraine the chance to mobilise more soldiers and acquire more weapons.
Trump, Zelenskyy Clash Again
Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump clashed again on Wednesday, with Trump chiding the Ukrainian leader for refusing to recognise Russia’s claim to the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Trump, who argued with Zelenskyy in a disastrous Oval Office meeting in March, said Crimea was lost years ago, “and is not even a point of discussion.”
“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognise Crimea as Russian Territory, but 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 on Truth Social.
Trump’s ‘Patience Is Running Very Thin’
Trump, who promised during his election campaign to end the war within his first 24 hours back in the White House, scolded Zelenskyy and said the U.S. was trying to stop the killing in Ukraine and that they were “very close to a deal” for peace.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump is “frustrated” with the pace of talks and that Zelenskyy “seems to be moving in the wrong direction.”
Trump in recent days has said he will walk away from trying to negotiate a settlement in Ukraine if Kyiv and Moscow do not make a deal soon.
Zakharova said decisions by European countries to continue supplying weapons to Kyiv were encouraging Zelenskyy to pursue the war, regardless of casualties.
Their attitude showed some European countries were frightened by the prospect of a Russian victory, Zakharova said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
