The Daily Populous Thursday April 24th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by apnews.com and submitted by tomorrow509

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Ukraine’s president, saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prolonging the “killing field” after pushing back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan.

Zelenskyy on Tuesday ruled out ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among U.S., European and Ukrainian officials. “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Share Share Facebook

During similar talks last week in Paris, U.S. officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump called Zelenkyy’s pushback “very harmful” to talks.

“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize 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?” he wrote on social media.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 after sending troops to overrun it. Weeks later, Moscow-backed separatists launched an uprising in eastern Ukraine, battling Kyiv’s forces.

Trump also asserted they were close to a deal and that Ukraine’s leader can have peace or “he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” adding that Zelenskyy’s statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!”

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters at the White House, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) President Donald Trump speaks with reporters at the White House, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Share Share Facebook

Wednesday’s meeting was pared back at the last minute, while Vice President JD Vance said negotiations are reaching a moment of truth.

“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance told reporters during a visit to India.

He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details.

Trump, who is set to travel to Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, told reporters later on Wednesday that he did not know if he would meet with Zelenskyy or other European leaders to discuss the war while in Italy. He also said that has found dealing with Zelenskyy harder than dealing with the Russians.

Trump who is set to travel to the Middle East next month said it was “possible” that he could meet with Putin while in Saudi Arabia, but that it is more likely he will meet with the Russian leader soon after that trip.

A senior European official familiar with the ongoing talks involving the American team said a proposal the United States calls “final” was initially presented last week in Paris, where it was described as “just ideas” — and that they could be changed.

When those “ideas” surfaced in media reports, Ukrainian officials were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day.

“We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, in accordance with a proposal he said the U.S. tabled six weeks ago.

Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land. Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because it has battlefield momentum.

U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the talks in London to find an end to the more than three-year war would involve only lower-ranking officials, after the U.S. State Department said Tuesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was unable to attend because of a scheduling issue.

Rubio’s abrupt cancellation raised doubts about the direction of negotiations. He had indicated that Wednesday’s meeting could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration remains engaged.

Commenting on those attending the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “as far as we understand, they so far have failed to bring their positions closer on some issues.” He said the Kremlin was still in consultations with American officials but wouldn’t publicly discuss details.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow again later this week, according to Russian officials.

Even achieving a limited, 30-day ceasefire has been beyond the reach of negotiators, as both sides continue to attack each other along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and launch long-range strikes.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a damaged bus that was hit by the Russian drone in Marhanets, Dnipropetrovsk region, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a damaged bus that was hit by the Russian drone in Marhanets, Dnipropetrovsk region, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) Share Share Facebook

Reddit Read More In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, rescuers carry out bodies of passengers after a Russian drone hit a public bus in Marhanets, Dnipropetrovsk region, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, rescuers carry out bodies of passengers after a Russian drone hit a public bus in Marhanets, Dnipropetrovsk region, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) Share Share Facebook

A Russian drone struck a bus carrying workers in Marganets, in eastern Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on Wednesday morning, killing eight women and one man, regional head Serhii Lysak wrote on social media. More than 40 people were injured, he said.

Lysak published photos of a bus with windows blown out and shards of glass mixed with blood spattered on its floor.

Trump has pushed for an end to the war and said last week that negotiations were “coming to a head.” That comment came after Rubio suggested the U.S. might soon back away from negotiations if they don’t progress.

Those still attending Wednesday’s meeting include retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia.

Andrii Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, said on social media that a delegation including him, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had arrived in London for the talks despite the alterations.

“The path to peace is not easy, but Ukraine has been and remains committed to peaceful efforts,” Yermak said. Officials would “discuss ways to achieve a full and unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward a comprehensive settlement and the achievement of a just and lasting peace.”

Several hours later, Yermak said that he, Sybiha and Umerov met with national security and foreign policy advisors from the countries “participating in the coalition of the willing” and “emphasized our commitment” to the U.S. president’s peace efforts.

He asserted on social media that “Russia continues to reject an unconditional ceasefire, dragging out the process and trying to manipulate negotiations.”

A Ukrainian soldier walks past damaged buildings in central Pokrovsk, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Shtekel) A Ukrainian soldier walks past damaged buildings in central Pokrovsk, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Shtekel) Share Share Facebook

Trump said repeatedly during his election campaign last year that he would be able to end the war “in 24 hours” upon taking office. But he has expressed frustration with Zelenskyy and Putin. Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions.

Some European allies are wary of the American proposal for Ukraine to exchange land for peace. But an official said there’s also acknowledgment by some allies that Russia is firmly entrenched wholly or partially in five regions of Ukraine: Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

If the goal is to obtain a ceasefire immediately, “it should be based on the line of contact as it is,” said the senior French official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with French presidential policy.

Novikov reported from Kyiv and Madhani from Washington. Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

tomorrow509 on April 24th, 2025 at 14:38 UTC »

Submission Statement: From the article, "President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Ukraine’s president, saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prolonging the “killing field” after pushing back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan.

Zelenskyy on Tuesday ruled out ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among U.S., European and Ukrainian officials. “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said."

It should be argued that Trump himself is prolonging the war by abandoning defensive aid and support to Ukraine against the Russian invasion. The US, along with Russia and Belarus, committed to protecting Ukraine in exchange for giving up Nuclear weapons. This was back in the 90's after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

wellthatexplainsalot on April 24th, 2025 at 13:23 UTC »

What Trump wants out of this is the precedent that seizing land is acceptable internationally. And if Ukraine were to let this happen, then Greenland is going to find itself occupied by American troops.

kutusow_ on April 24th, 2025 at 11:55 UTC »

to make it clear and simple: your house gets robbed and your family members get raped and killed. The police comes and says you should officially cede everything that robbers have stolen to reach compromise. Moreover, they want you to oblige yourself not to call police next time and hand over some part of your properties to them to compensate their costs. If you don't agree, they will leave you and won't do anything about this crime. Not only the robber is not punished, he even makes a deal with the police to cooperate in future. Amazing story, isn't it?