President Trump Blasts Zelensky, Says Ukraine Needs New Negotiator to End War With Russia
President Trump delivered another sharp rebuke of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, accusing him of failing to reach a peace agreement with Russia and suggesting that Ukraine should appoint someone else to negotiate an end to the devastating conflict.
Speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn before departing for a campaign event in Kansas, Trump expressed growing frustration with Zelensky and recalled their explosive February 2025 confrontation in the Oval Office.
The president argued that Ukraine could have secured a settlement much earlier if Zelensky had followed his advice, potentially preventing enormous casualties and years of additional fighting.
“Zelensky doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Trump told reporters after being informed that the Ukrainian leader had accused him of being on the wrong side of history.
Trump continued by questioning Zelensky’s handling of negotiations and the consequences of allowing the war to continue.
“Zelensky is a man that should have had this war settled a long time ago,” the president declared.
Trump suggested that a different Ukrainian representative might be better positioned to negotiate an agreement with Moscow.
“I think it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine,” he said.
The comments represent another escalation in the increasingly strained relationship between Washington and Kyiv as the Trump administration presses for a diplomatic settlement to the conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The president emphasized the enormous human cost of the war, arguing that continued fighting has devastated Ukraine’s population without producing a decisive breakthrough on the battlefield.
Trump said Ukraine has lost large numbers of soldiers while territorial changes have remained relatively limited during recent fighting.
He also claimed that an earlier agreement could have prevented an enormous number of deaths. His casualty estimates have not been independently verified.
The president specifically referenced his February 28, 2025, Oval Office meeting with Zelensky, which deteriorated into a heated argument involving Vice President JD Vance.
During that confrontation, Trump challenged Zelensky’s negotiating position and warned that Ukraine’s military situation would be considerably worse without American assistance.
The meeting became a defining moment in the relationship between the two leaders, exposing their disagreements over the conditions necessary to end the war.
More than a year later, Trump is again arguing that Zelensky should reconsider his approach to negotiations.
The president’s remarks followed another round of public criticism from the Ukrainian leader, who has objected to recent decisions by Washington involving Russian sanctions and energy supplies.
Zelensky accused the Trump administration of taking steps that could pressure Ukraine into accepting unfavorable peace terms.
In an interview with Bloomberg News, Zelensky said he believed American actions were creating pressure for Ukraine to capitulate, although he expressed hope that Washington was not deliberately seeking that outcome.
Trump rejected the suggestion that his administration was working on Russia’s behalf.
Instead, the president maintained that his objective is to stop the fighting and prevent additional deaths.
“I’m supporting stopping the war between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump told reporters.
He accused Zelensky of complicating those efforts and questioned whether the Ukrainian leader was sufficiently committed to reaching an agreement.
The president also defended his recent decision to pause additional sanctions on Russia.
That move has generated controversy in Washington and Kyiv, particularly as Ukraine continues seeking stronger economic pressure against Moscow.
Trump has argued that maintaining diplomatic communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin is necessary if negotiations are to succeed.
His administration has also pursued arrangements involving Russian diesel fuel as American consumers confront rising energy costs.
Diesel prices have climbed above $6 per gallon in parts of the United States, placing additional financial pressure on truckers, farmers and businesses that depend heavily on transportation.
The White House has emphasized the importance of stabilizing energy markets while attempting to bring the conflict to an end.
Zelensky, however, has criticized the sanctions decision and warned that reducing economic pressure on Moscow could weaken Ukraine’s negotiating position.
The Ukrainian government has continued striking Russian energy infrastructure, arguing that oil revenues help finance Moscow’s military operations.
Trump has objected to those attacks, particularly as disruptions to energy production and transportation contribute to higher international fuel prices.
The disagreement has become another obstacle in the administration’s efforts to secure a ceasefire.
Trump also addressed the possibility of meeting with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during an upcoming trip to China.
The president said he would consider participating in discussions involving the Russian and Chinese leaders if doing so could help advance negotiations.
He indicated that Zelensky’s participation would not necessarily be required for such a meeting.
The possibility of discussions involving Washington, Moscow and Beijing without Kyiv has raised concerns among Ukrainian officials about whether decisions affecting their country could be negotiated without their direct involvement.
Trump has maintained that he is willing to pursue any diplomatic arrangement that could help stop the war.
The president also offered a more favorable assessment of Russia’s recent military activity, saying Moscow had not been doing much in Ukraine.
That characterization comes despite continued Russian attacks, including strikes against civilian areas and energy infrastructure.
Reports from Ukraine on Monday described additional casualties from Russian attacks, underscoring the continuing danger facing civilians.
Trump’s comments about Russia therefore remain at odds with accounts of ongoing military operations and destruction inside Ukraine.
The president nevertheless reiterated that the United States has provided substantial assistance to Kyiv throughout the conflict.
American military equipment, intelligence and financial support have played major roles in Ukraine’s defense against Russian forces.
Trump has repeatedly argued that Washington should not be expected to sustain an open-ended commitment without meaningful progress toward peace.
He also confirmed Monday that the United States continues sharing intelligence with Ukraine, despite recent disagreements over the availability of American military assistance.
Zelensky has complained about restrictions affecting certain satellite communications systems and delays in receiving intelligence about Russian missile attacks.
American officials have disputed some of those allegations, maintaining that Washington continues providing important support.
The latest confrontation comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio presses Ukraine to concentrate on negotiations rather than actions that could complicate diplomatic efforts.
Rubio has also raised concerns about Ukrainian attacks affecting commercial vessels carrying American-owned oil in the Black Sea.
Those disputes have added to the tensions between the two governments.
Trump’s latest remarks suggest that his frustration is increasingly focused on Zelensky personally, rather than solely on disagreements over military strategy or economic sanctions.
By suggesting that Ukraine appoint a different negotiator, the president has publicly questioned whether Zelensky remains the appropriate person to lead peace discussions with Russia.
The Ukrainian president has maintained that any settlement must protect his country’s sovereignty and security.
Kyiv has resisted proposals that would require accepting permanent Russian control over occupied Ukrainian territory without adequate security guarantees.
Moscow, meanwhile, continues demanding concessions that Ukraine considers unacceptable.
Those competing positions have repeatedly complicated American efforts to broker an agreement.
Trump has made ending the war a central foreign policy objective of his second administration, repeatedly emphasizing the human and economic costs of continued fighting.
His latest confrontation with Zelensky demonstrates how difficult that objective remains as Washington attempts to persuade both governments to accept a negotiated settlement.
For now, the president is publicly pressing Ukraine to change its approach, warning that continued resistance to negotiations could prolong a conflict that has already claimed an enormous number of lives.
“All I want is for Russia and Ukraine to stop that stupid war,” Trump said, reiterating his determination to bring the fighting to an end.