U.S. President, Donald Trump has said that Ukraine, not Russia, is delaying a potential peace agreement to end the war, a position that sharply contrasts with the stance of many European allies who argue that Moscow has little interest in ending the conflict.
Speaking in an exclusive interview in the Oval Office, Trump told Reuters that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to conclude the nearly four-year-old invasion of Ukraine, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy remains more hesitant.
“I think he’s ready to make a deal,” Trump said of Putin. “I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal.”
When asked why U.S.-led negotiations had not yet brought an end to the largest land conflict in Europe since World War Two, Trump replied simply: “Zelenskiy.”
The remarks signal renewed frustration with the Ukrainian leader. Trump and Zelenskiy have long had a volatile relationship, although ties appeared to improve during Trump’s first year back in office.
At various points, Trump has been more willing to take Putin’s assurances at face value than leaders of some U.S. allies, a stance that has unsettled Kyiv, European capitals, and members of the U.S. Congress, including some Republicans.
U.S.-led talks in recent weeks have focused on security guarantees for Ukraine after the war, aimed at preventing a future Russian invasion. As part of the discussions, U.S. negotiators have pushed for Ukraine to relinquish its eastern Donbas region in any agreement with Russia.
Ukrainian officials have taken part in the negotiations, led on the U.S. side by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Some European officials, however, have expressed doubts about whether Putin would agree to certain terms discussed by Kyiv, Washington, and European leaders.
Trump said he was unaware of any planned trip to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner, following earlier reports suggesting such a visit. Asked whether he would meet Zelenskiy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said he would if the Ukrainian leader attends, though no plans have been finalized.
When pressed on why he believes Zelenskiy is holding back from negotiations, Trump declined to go into detail, saying only: “I just think he’s, you know, having a hard time getting there.”