US President Donald Trump said that it is unlikely that Ukraine will return to its 2014 borders.
He told reporters this in the Oval Office.
Trump on the return of Ukraine's 2014 borders
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it is unlikely that Ukraine will return to its 2014 borders, hinting that the country will have to cede territory to Russia to stop a full-scale war.
Now watching
— It just seems to me, and I'm not expressing an opinion on this, but I've read a lot about this, and a lot of people think it's unlikely, — Trump said.
He added: “Some of it will come back. I think some of it will come back. Yes, some of these territories will return”.
Recall that the day before, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that returning Ukraine's borders to those that existed before 2014 is not a realistic goal.
— We can end this devastating war and establish lasting peace… with a realistic assessment of the battlefield. We strive, as you do, for a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must begin by recognizing that a return to pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic goal, — said Hegseth.
He also ruled out the introduction of US troops into Ukraine.
Let us add that Trump previously stated that a ceasefire in Ukraine is possible in the not too distant future.
Trump noted that he does not see a threat in dialogue with the Russian Federation without Ukraine and expects a visit by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to the United States.
Trump on Ukraine's accession to NATO
Regarding Ukraine's accession to NATO, US President Donald Trump referred to the speech of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at NATO headquarters in Brussels, who called the idea of Ukraine's accession to the Alliance “unlikely” and “impractical”.
— And I think that's true. They've been saying for a long time that Ukraine shouldn't join NATO, and that's fine with me. I just want to end the war, — Trump said.
Note that Pete Hegseth previously said that Ukraine's NATO membership “is not a realistic outcome”.
— The US does not believe that Ukraine's NATO membership is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement, — he said.
Hegseth also noted that any security guarantees should not be provided through NATO membership, “but instead the combat readiness of European and non-European forces” should be maintained, which would not be covered by NATO's Article 5 guarantees.
