'Horrible way to negotiate': Ex-US ambassador after Trump urges Ukraine to cede territory
Trump has hinted that Ukraine may have to cede territory to end the war
- Aug 18, 2025,
- Updated Aug 18, 2025 1:44 PM IST
Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul on Monday criticised Donald Trump's proposed peace approach to the Ukraine war, saying the President "just gives away things without getting anything in return." "Horrible way to negotiate," McFaul wrote on X. "Does this work in business? Because it certainly does not work in diplomacy."
The remarks followed Trump's post on Truth Social, where he hinted that Ukraine may have to cede territory to end the war. "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight." Trump added, "NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!! Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!)," Trump said.
McFaul responded directly to Trump's claim about NATO, writing, "Keeping Ukraine out of NATO did not prevent Putin from invading in 2014 and then launching his full-scale invasion in 2022. Conversely, no Soviet or Russian leader has ever attacked a NATO country. And NATO has never attacked the USSR or Russia."
In a separate post, McFaul described an alternative approach to ending the war: "To end big complex wars requires bold, creative solutions. Land for NATO membership is that. And by 'land', I mean that Ukrainians will commit to pursuing unification by peaceful means. They will never recognize Russian annexation of their land."
The former ambassador also said that Trump was asking Ukrainians to give up land that they now control -- land where Ukrainians live! - "to try to appease Putin will go down in history as one of the most tragic moments in American diplomacy. Don't do it, Mr. President."
The comments came ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's second meeting with Trump, following their earlier talks in February.
During the recent Alaska summit, Trump advocated for a peace agreement that would see Ukraine cede control of all of Donetsk to Russia in exchange for a freeze on Russian military advances in southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Trump stated, "It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement."
Zelenskyy rejected the plan. "Peace must be lasting," he said. "Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East—part of Donbas—and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence."
Zelenskyy said Ukraine's armed forces were achieving results in the Donetsk and Sumy regions and expressed confidence in defending the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to surrender full control of Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for Russia freezing the front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Russia would reportedly give up around 440 square kilometers in Sumy and Kharkiv, while Ukraine would be relinquishing approximately 6,600 square kilometers in Donbas.
Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul on Monday criticised Donald Trump's proposed peace approach to the Ukraine war, saying the President "just gives away things without getting anything in return." "Horrible way to negotiate," McFaul wrote on X. "Does this work in business? Because it certainly does not work in diplomacy."
The remarks followed Trump's post on Truth Social, where he hinted that Ukraine may have to cede territory to end the war. "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight." Trump added, "NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!! Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!)," Trump said.
McFaul responded directly to Trump's claim about NATO, writing, "Keeping Ukraine out of NATO did not prevent Putin from invading in 2014 and then launching his full-scale invasion in 2022. Conversely, no Soviet or Russian leader has ever attacked a NATO country. And NATO has never attacked the USSR or Russia."
In a separate post, McFaul described an alternative approach to ending the war: "To end big complex wars requires bold, creative solutions. Land for NATO membership is that. And by 'land', I mean that Ukrainians will commit to pursuing unification by peaceful means. They will never recognize Russian annexation of their land."
The former ambassador also said that Trump was asking Ukrainians to give up land that they now control -- land where Ukrainians live! - "to try to appease Putin will go down in history as one of the most tragic moments in American diplomacy. Don't do it, Mr. President."
The comments came ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's second meeting with Trump, following their earlier talks in February.
During the recent Alaska summit, Trump advocated for a peace agreement that would see Ukraine cede control of all of Donetsk to Russia in exchange for a freeze on Russian military advances in southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Trump stated, "It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement."
Zelenskyy rejected the plan. "Peace must be lasting," he said. "Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East—part of Donbas—and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence."
Zelenskyy said Ukraine's armed forces were achieving results in the Donetsk and Sumy regions and expressed confidence in defending the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to surrender full control of Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for Russia freezing the front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Russia would reportedly give up around 440 square kilometers in Sumy and Kharkiv, while Ukraine would be relinquishing approximately 6,600 square kilometers in Donbas.