Trump again says Zelensky doesn’t want peace
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky doesn’t want to make peace with Russia and exploits US support for his own gain, President Donald Trump has said.
Trump and Zelensky have been feuding over negotiations with Russia and the terms of a possible ceasefire, with the Ukrainian leader insisting that the US must first provide security guarantees to Kiev.
On Monday, Trump took to social media to react to an AP news story which quoted Zelensky as saying on Sunday that “an agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet.” Zelensky insisted that any peace deal must be “just, honest, and most importantly, sustainable.”
“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“This guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing,” he added.
“Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US. – Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?” Trump wrote.
He argued earlier that Zelensky had “disrespected” the US during a highly contentious meeting in the White House on Friday. According to Trump, a bilateral deal was going to be signed allowing the US to develop Ukraine’s critical minerals deposits.
This initiative was aborted following Zelensky’s public spat with Trump and US Vice President J.D. Vance, who accused him of being ungrateful for American aid.
Zelensky, who stated last month that Ukraine had a “low chance” of defeating Russia without American support, has expressed frustration that Trump reopened direct talks with Moscow without his approval. Trump has argued that Zelensky was in no position to complain about his handling of the negotiations and has branded him a “dictator.”
