Donald Trump expressed his clear and rather skeptical position regarding the possibility of returning Ukraine’s Crimea — a strategic peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014
In an interview with journalists, which he gave after meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at the White House on April 24, the former U.S. president hinted that regaining control over Crimea would be extremely difficult for Ukraine, and that this issue is not a major breakthrough politically. Trump emphasized that the situation regarding territorial return depends on specific circumstances and regions. According to him, the Ukrainian armed forces have already suffered significant losses and have lost many important territories during the fighting, so this should not be underestimated. At the same time, he added that the United States will do everything possible to help Ukraine in this struggle, but he reminded of a history that cannot be ignored. In particular, Trump drew attention to the historical context of Crimea's annexation, emphasizing that this issue did not begin in 2014, but much earlier — during Barack Obama's presidency. He noted that Crimea was "handed over" to Ukraine without conflict or risk to people's lives at that time, and that this transfer happened "without shots and without fighting." Trump does not support alternative assessments of this situation, instead stating that at that time, the decision was simply made, and now it is difficult to change it: "They just handed it over, and now they ask: 'Can you get it back?' In my opinion, it will be very difficult to do," he said. Interestingly, recently Trump made a statement on his social platform Truth Social, where he noted that "Crimea was lost many years ago." His comment aligned with recent statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who affirmed that Kyiv does not recognize the peninsula as Russian and is not prepared to accept its occupation. Trump emphasized that Zelensky's words harm the prospects for peace negotiations, as they complicate the search for compromises. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron recently voiced his position regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the status of Crimea. He stated that now is not the time to discuss the return of the occupied Crimean peninsula by Russia and the relevant statuses, hinting that these issues require greater caution and proper diplomatic preparation. Overall, active discussions continue in international politics regarding the future of Crimea — some insist on its return, others highlight the difficulties and challenges of this process, while a third group calls for finding compromises. In any case, the issue of the peninsula’s status remains one of the hottest and most complex topics in international negotiations concerning Ukraine. Read also: Not just Crimea, not just NATO. Unrevealed details of the "peace agreement" between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia.