President Donald Trump said Ukraine won't get back Crimea during negotiations with Russia to end the war, but what is Crimea and why is it so important?

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with President Donald Trump on Monday afternoon at the White House, just days after Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin left an Alaska summit without a ceasefire deal.

President Trump has outlined specific parameters for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to pursue peace with Russia, including giving up Crimea and not pursuing NATO membership, ahead of a high-stakes meeting at the White House.

President Donald Trump on Sunday night declared that Kyiv would not be regaining Moscow-annexed Crimea, nor would it be allowed to join NATO.

European leaders, as well as the Nato chief, joining Zelensky for talks with Trump in Washington makes it an extraordinarily high-level meeting. This reveals how high their concern is that the US president will help Vladimir Putin defeat Ukraine by backing his demands - such as no ceasefire before final settlement.

In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. 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!!!”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump expressed hope that Monday’s critical talks with Ukrainian and European leaders at the White House could lead to trilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Donald Trump has made it clear that Crimea is off the table in any peace deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war, a declaration that strikes at the very heart of the decade-long conflict.