United States President Donald Trump has publicly blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for delays in reaching a peace agreement to end the war with Russia, marking a sharp departure from the position of European allies who maintain Moscow shows little genuine interest in ending the conflict.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters conducted Wednesday in the Oval Office, Trump asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin stands ready to conclude the nearly four year invasion of Ukraine, while Zelenskiy remains hesitant to compromise.
“I think he’s ready to make a deal,” Trump said of Putin. “I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal.”
When pressed on why United States led negotiations have failed to resolve Europe’s largest land conflict since World War Two, Trump responded with a single word: “Zelenskiy.”
The remarks signal renewed frustration with the Ukrainian leader and represent a notable shift in American rhetoric at a moment when Washington remains central to any viable diplomatic settlement. Trump’s willingness to accept Putin’s assurances at face value has frequently unsettled Kyiv, European capitals, and members of Congress, including some Republicans.
Recent negotiations have focused on post war security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent future Russian aggression. American negotiators, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son in law, have reportedly pressed Ukraine to relinquish control of the eastern Donbas region as part of any agreement with Russia.
Ukrainian officials have participated actively in these discussions, but some European leaders have expressed skepticism about whether Putin would honor terms being considered by Kyiv, Washington, and European partners.
Trump told Reuters he was unaware of any planned Moscow trip by Witkoff and Kushner, contradicting earlier Bloomberg reports suggesting such a visit. Asked whether he would meet Zelenskiy at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week, Trump said he would if the Ukrainian leader attends, though no concrete plans exist.
When questioned about why he believes Zelenskiy is holding back, Trump declined to elaborate. “I just think he’s, you know, having a hard time getting there,” the president said.
Zelenskiy has consistently ruled out territorial concessions to Moscow, arguing Ukraine’s constitution prohibits surrendering sovereign land. This legal and political constraint limits Kyiv’s flexibility at the negotiating table and places Zelenskiy at odds with American proposals treating territorial compromise as a necessary peace condition.
According to a House of Commons Library briefing published this week, Zelenskiy stated after December talks with Trump that 90 percent of a potential peace deal had been agreed. However, the issue of ceding territory to Russia, a clear Kremlin demand, remains a major sticking point.
The briefing noted that Russia continues showing little willingness to compromise. On January 6, countries within the Coalition of the Willing met alongside a United States delegation to establish “a system of politically and legally binding guarantees that will be activated once a ceasefire enters into force.”
Trump’s comments risk widening the transatlantic divide over Ukraine strategy. By publicly shifting blame onto Kyiv, Washington may weaken Ukraine’s negotiating position while emboldening Moscow. The rhetoric signals a possible American priority shift from defending Ukrainian territorial integrity toward securing a rapid, deal based conflict resolution.
In December, Reuters reported that American intelligence assessments continued warning that Putin has not abandoned aims of capturing all Ukraine and reclaiming parts of Europe belonging to the former Soviet empire. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard disputed that reporting at the time.
Trump’s evolving stance reflects his administration’s broader approach to the conflict. Throughout his second term, he has pushed aggressively for negotiations while expressing impatience with what he perceives as Ukrainian reluctance to compromise.
During a late December meeting at Mar a Lago, Trump and Zelenskiy expressed optimism about progress on contentious issues including security guarantees and the division of eastern Donbas. However, both acknowledged that thorny questions remain unresolved, including whose forces will withdraw from where and the fate of the Russian occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of the world’s ten largest.
Trump offered to consider extending American security guarantees for Ukraine beyond 15 years, subject to Congressional approval and parliamentary endorsement in other countries involved in overseeing any settlement. Zelenskiy indicated he wants any 20 point peace plan under discussion approved through a national referendum, though holding such a ballot requires at least a 60 day ceasefire.
Moscow has shown no willingness for a truce without a comprehensive settlement. Russian officials have insisted on recognition of occupied territories as Russian, guarantees Ukraine will never join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), curtailment of Ukraine’s military capabilities, and lifting of sanctions against Russia.
Ukrainian negotiating priorities center on full withdrawal of Russian troops, return of prisoners and kidnapped Ukrainian children, prosecution of Russian leaders for war crimes, and robust security guarantees preventing future aggression.
European allies remain more aligned with Ukrainian positions than American proposals. The United Kingdom and France are exploring deployment of military hubs in Ukraine as part of security arrangements, while Germany has welcomed American diplomatic efforts while noting a discrepancy between Russia’s public statements and battlefield actions.
At a January 6 Paris summit, 35 participants including 27 heads of state and government discussed concrete post war mechanisms covering ceasefire monitoring, support for Ukraine’s armed forces, deployment of multinational forces on land, sea and air, commitments if Russia resumes aggression, and long term defense cooperation with Ukraine.
The coalition of the willing framework represents European determination to maintain involvement in Ukrainian security regardless of American commitment levels. However, Europe also recognizes it needs American military might to back Ukrainian security guarantees and deter Russian territorial ambitions.
Trump’s criticism of European leaders intensified Monday, accusing them of being “weak” and wanting to be “politically correct.” In the White House’s recently released National Security Strategy, the administration called a negotiated end to Russia’s invasion a “core interest” for Europe while criticizing nations holding “unrealistic expectations for the war perched in unstable minority governments, many of which trample on basic principles of democracy to suppress opposition.”
Zelenskiy responded Monday to mounting American pressure by reiterating Ukraine’s refusal to concede land to its aggressor. “Russia insists that we give up territories,” the Ukrainian president told reporters. “We, of course, do not want to give anything away. That is exactly what we are fighting for.”
He acknowledged American pursuit of compromise, stating frankly: “The Americans today are looking for a compromise.”
Zelenskiy met Monday with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London, presenting a united front with European allies. “The principles remain the principles that we’ve been based on for a very, very long time, which is that we stand with Ukraine, and if there’s to be a cease-fire it needs to be a just and lasting cease-fire,” Starmer said.
The diplomatic tensions occur against a backdrop of continued Russian military pressure. Moscow delivered what Kyiv described as a massive strike on the capital ahead of recent Trump Zelenskiy talks, while Russian forces continue pushing in eastern Ukraine.
Recent personnel changes in Kyiv reflect the pressures Zelenskiy faces. On January 2, he appointed General Kyrylo Budanov, head of military intelligence, as his new chief of staff, replacing Andriy Yermak who resigned following an anti corruption investigation. Zelenskiy also nominated Mykhailo Fedorov, head of the Ministry of Digital Transformation since 2019, as the new defence minister.
These appointments signal what Zelenskiy termed a “two track strategy” focused on strengthening Ukraine in peace negotiations while prioritizing technological scaling if war continues. Analysts suggest the changes also allow Zelenskiy to share or shift blame onto Budanov for any peace talk failures while neutralizing him as a potential political rival.
Trump’s blame assignment comes amid broader questions about his administration’s approach to the conflict. Donald Trump Junior, while not officially part of the administration but a prominent figure in the Make America Great Again movement, suggested Sunday at a Qatar event that his father “may” walk away from peace talks.
“No, it’s not correct. But it’s not exactly wrong,” Trump told Politico when asked about his son’s comments, creating ambiguity about American commitment to the negotiating process.
The president also suggested Ukraine should hold elections, accusing Kyiv’s leadership of “using war not to hold an election” and questioning whether the country maintains democratic values. Elections in Ukraine have been postponed due to martial law imposed after Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
Historical context complicates current diplomatic efforts. Russia has repeatedly broken agreements with Ukraine and the international community, with military analysts calculating Moscow has violated 190 signed commitments. The Minsk agreements of 2014 and 2015, meant to freeze earlier Donbas conflict, ultimately failed as Russia backed separatist offensives continued.
Turkey hosted earlier negotiations in March 2022 proposing Ukraine abandon NATO membership plans and accept military limitations in exchange for Western security guarantees, without requiring recognition of Russia’s Crimea annexation. Those talks collapsed over disagreements on key points, Russian demands for veto power over Ukraine’s defense, doubts about Moscow’s sincerity, and the Bucha massacre where Ukrainian civilians were systematically killed by Russian forces.
Trump’s current approach differs markedly from the Biden administration’s policy of providing substantial military aid while supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The shift reflects Trump’s longstanding skepticism about American involvement in foreign conflicts and his expressed desire to improve relations with Putin.
Whether Trump’s public blame assignment will pressure Zelenskiy toward greater flexibility or instead stiffen Ukrainian resolve remains uncertain. Ukrainian officials note they face existential stakes in negotiations, as territorial concessions could encourage future Russian aggression while undermining national sovereignty.
The coming weeks will test whether American pressure, European support, and Russian military realities can be reconciled into a settlement acceptable to parties with fundamentally different objectives. For now, the conflict continues with no clear path to resolution despite intensive diplomatic efforts.
