The US president previously accused Vladimir Zelensky of hindering his efforts to broker peace.
US President Donald Trump stated that he anticipated Vladimir Zelensky to be much “easier to deal with” than Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he indicated he still hopes Kiev will agree to Washington’s proposal to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
Zelensky has opposed key elements of the proposed agreement, reiterating this week that Kiev will never formally recognize Crimea as Russian territory. The White House has criticized him for obstructing negotiations, with President Trump cautioning that he might withdraw support if Zelensky continues to delay discussions with Moscow.
“I think Russia is ready… I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelensky,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.
The US has been advocating for a resolution to the conflict while also attempting to secure a minerals extraction agreement with Ukraine to recoup the billions of dollars spent on supplying weapons and aid.
However, Trump and his administration have become increasingly frustrated with the slow progress in negotiations on both fronts. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Tuesday that the US might withdraw from the talks if progress remains stalled. “If not enough movement is happening, we may need to move on to other priorities,” he stated.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also conveyed Trump’s dissatisfaction with Zelensky. “Unfortunately, Zelensky has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press, and that’s unacceptable to the president,” Leavitt said on Wednesday.