Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky seems getting ready to reject President Donald Trump’s terms for a peace plan with Russia as the two leaders prepare for a blockbuster Oval Office showdown Monday.

Zelensky returns to Washington DC for the first time since their famous bust-up in February.

Russia – Ukraine war latest

Trump on Sunday night laid out to Zelensky what Putin required of him – to sacrifice Crimea and – give up his desire to join NATO in advance of their ‘important’ meeting in the White House.

‘President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social about 9.20pm.

‘Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!’

At 10.40pm, Zelensky took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to instead insist ‘Russia must end this war, which it itself started,’ railing against Trump’s suggestion that he was solely responsible for ending the conflict.

‘Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence. Now, our soldiers have successes in Donetsk and Sumy regions,’ the Ukrainian leader rebuked within 90 minutes.

Crimea news

Zelensky also indicated he would not acquiesce with Trump on Crimea, territory which Russia annexed in 2014 and has been furiously defending during the three-year war.

‘We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting,’ Zelensky wrote.

‘Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East – part of Donbas – and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. 

‘Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022.’