Russia Says Zelensky Wants to ‘Torpedo’ Ukraine Peace Talks

Russia’s foreign ministry accused Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky of seeking to “torpedo” the peace process, after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his renewed frustrations with Kyiv’s leader.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, said at her press briefing that Zelensky had disrupted the peace talks in London, which were downgraded after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled out.

Rubio reportedly withdrew after Ukraine made clear they would not accept an American draft peace proposal that included recognition of Crimea as Russian territory. Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in a 2014 invasion.

“In fact, if we call a spade a spade, Zelensky disrupted the London round of consultations, convincingly confirming [his] intentions to torpedo the emerging peace process at any cost,” Zhakarova said, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Zelensky has said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday, as his officials prepared to head to London: “Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution.”

Trump referred to Zelensky’s comments in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday and accused the Ukrainian president of harming the peace talks. He denied asking that Crimea be recognized as Russian.

“This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion,” Trump wrote.

“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?

“The area also houses, for many years before “the Obama handover,” major Russian submarine bases. It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about!”

Trump added: “The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with “no cards to play” should now, finally, GET IT DONE.”

This is a breaking news story and more information will be added soon.