A SENIOR adviser to Donald Trump has warned Volodymyr Zelensky that he must come to the negotiating table with a “realistic vision for peace”.
Republican strategist Bryan Lanza also said that Crimea is not up for negotiation adding: “Crimea is gone.”
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Speaking to the BBC Lanza said: “When Zelensky says we will only stop this fighting, there will only be peace once Crimea is returned, we’ve got news for President Zelensky: Crimea is gone.
“And if that is your priority of getting Crimea back and having American soldiers fight to get Crimea back, you’re on your own.”
The US has never deployed American soldiers to fight in Ukraine and Kyiv has never asked American troops fight on its behalf – but they have requested American military aid to arm its own soldiers.
Lanza said he had huge respect for the Ukrainian people and described them as having the hearts of lions.
However, he said the US priority was “peace and to stop the killing”.
He added: “What we’re going to say to Ukraine is, you know what you see?
“What do you see as a realistic vision for peace.
“It’s not a vision for winning, but it’s a vision for peace. And let’s start having the honest conversation.”
President-elect Trump spoke to Zelensky after his election win, with billionaire Elon Musk also taking part in the call.
A source in Ukraine’s presidential office told the BBC that the “good lengthy conversation” between Zelensky and Trump lasted “about half an hour”.
The source added: “It was not really a conversation to talk about very substantial things, but overall it was very warm and pleasant.”
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