On April 25, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a number of resonant statements regarding the settlement of the conflict with Russia and Kyiv's position on the American plan proposed by the Donald Trump administration. Zelensky agreed with Trump that the return of Crimea by military means was impossible, while emphasizing that Ukraine did not need the presence of American ground troops. Instead, he emphasized the need for the supply of Patriot air defense systems and increased intelligence support from the United States.

"I agree with Trump that we cannot take back Crimea by force," — Zelensky said, adding that a military solution to the Crimea issue would lead to unacceptable losses.

The statement came amid recent talks in the Kremlin between Vladimir Putin and US Special Representative Steven Witkoff, where they discussed an American plan that, according to Reuters, includes recognizing Crimea as Russian and freezing the front line in exchange for a ceasefire. Zelensky, however, stressed that any territorial concessions require a referendum, as required by the Ukrainian Constitution, and cannot be made unilaterally.

The rejection of the deployment of American troops was another key point of the speech. According to The Wall Street Journal, Ukraine has already received several Patriot batteries from the United States and European allies, but their number is not enough to protect major cities such as Kyiv and Kharkov from Russian missile strikes.

The context of the statements is related to the diplomatic efforts of the United States to achieve a ceasefire. The American plan presented by Witkoff has drawn criticism in Kyiv and Europe for its proposal to recognize Russian control over the occupied territories. In response, Ukraine and European partners have developed an alternative plan calling for a full ceasefire, an “all for all” prisoner exchange, and security guarantees similar to NATO’s Article 5. This plan, according to Reuters, also envisages the restoration of Ukrainian control over the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant and the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, which Zelensky supported in his speech.