UPDATE - Trump says Ukraine's refusal to cede Crimea to Russia is 'very harmful' to peace talks

ADDS REMARKS FROM KAROLINE LEAVITT IN GRAFS 9-11

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Donald Trump sharply rebuffed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Wednesday, saying his refusal to recognize Russia's occupation of the Crimean Peninsula is "very harmful" to ongoing peace talks.

Trump's social media screed comes in response to remarks Zelenskyy made during a press conference Tuesday in which he said: "Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea."

"There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution," he said.

Trump seethed in response.

"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. 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?" Trump said on his proprietary social media website.

The US president continued to assail Zelenskyy using an oft-repeated attack, claiming the Ukrainian leader has "no cards to play" and warning that without a peace deal with Russia, the country will be lost within a matter of years.

"The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever," Trump said.

"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. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS," he added.

Asked whether the US has asked Ukraine to give up Crimea to Russia, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump "is not asking Ukraine to recognize Crimea. Nobody has asked them to do that. What he is asking is for people to come to the negotiating table, recognizing that this has been a brutal war for far too long."

"In order to make a good deal, both sides have to walk away a little bit unhappy, and unfortunately, President Zelenskyy has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press, and that's unacceptable to the president. These should be closed-door negotiations," she said.

"The president is frustrated. His patience is running very thin. He wants to do what's right for the world. He wants to see peace," she added.