President Trump publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a Monday interview with Politico’s Dasha Burns, declaring the Ukrainian leader must “start accepting things” because “he’s losing” the nearly four-year war with Russia. The President expressed frustration that Zelensky had not read the latest version of peace proposals following hours of talks between U.S. officials and Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week.
Trump told reporters that Zelensky needs to “get on the ball” and begin making concessions in the effort to bring the conflict with Russia to an end. When asked at what point he accepts Zelensky’s resistance to the U.S. peace deal proposal, the President delivered a blunt response: “Well, he’s going to have to get on the ball and start accepting things.” He added that Ukraine is clearly “losing” ground in the war.
The President touted past peace deals he’s brokered throughout the world, claiming he’s “settled so many wars” and is “very proud” of his dealmaking abilities. “I do it pretty routinely, pretty easily. It’s not hard for me to do. It’s what I do. I make deals,” he continued.
Trump identified the personal animosity between Putin and Zelensky as a major obstacle to reaching a deal. “This one is tough. One of the reasons is the level of hatred between Putin and Zelensky is tremendous,” the President said. He explained that Putin had “no respect” for Zelensky and “didn’t like” him from the start.
“They really hate each other. And part of the problem is they hate each other really a lot, you know. And it’s very hard for them to try and make a deal. It’s harder than most,” Trump observed. The President characterized the process between Russia and Ukraine as particularly difficult due to this personal dynamic.
Zelensky met with European leaders Monday and emerged from those conversations declaring Ukraine would not budge from its longstanding opposition to ceding land to the Kremlin. “Of course, Russia insists that we give up territories,” the Ukrainian leader said in an online chat with reporters after the meeting, Media reported. “We, of course, do not want to give anything away. That is exactly what we are fighting for.”
Zelensky acknowledged that “the Americans today are looking for a compromise. I’ll be frank,” he added. Trump expressed frustration Sunday night, saying the Ukrainian leader had failed to review the peace proposals that emerged from hours of intensive talks with the Russian leader last week.
Europe pledged more support for Ukraine after the meeting with Zelensky. French President Emmanuel Macron said the Europeans and Ukrainians have “a lot of cards in our hands,” the Times reported, noting the “fact that Ukraine is resisting in this war, and the fact that the Russian economy is starting to suffer.”
This European backing comes as Trump attempts to broker a peace deal between the warring nations. The divergence between U.S. pressure for concessions and European solidarity with Ukraine’s position highlights the complex diplomatic landscape surrounding the conflict. The President’s comments signal growing impatience with Zelensky’s refusal to consider territorial compromises demanded by Moscow.