President Trump said Ukraine should replace President Volodymyr Zelensky with a new negotiator if it wants to bring its war with Russia to an end.
Trump also defended Moscow’s conduct during the four-year conflict, saying Russia had acted “fine” despite the devastation caused by the invasion.
“Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine. They haven’t been doing much,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn before departing for Kansas on a campaign trip.
More than 125,000 Ukrainians, including civilians, are estimated to have died in the war. Russian forces have repeatedly carried out attacks across the country, including a strike on a park Monday that killed 10 people. Among the victims were two women and an infant in a stroller.
Trump’s anger, however, was directed primarily at Zelensky, as he launched a fresh attack on the Ukrainian president.
Trump pointed to his contentious February 2025 Oval Office meeting with Zelensky, arguing that the Ukrainian leader had failed to end the war earlier and remained in a strong position only because of US military support.
“Zelensky is a man that should have had this war settled a long time ago,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn before leaving for Kansas on a campaign trip.
“They’re losing their male population. Ukraine could have had this thing settled a long time ago. If he would have listened to me, and you remember the Oval Office, he would have had to settle a long time ago,” Trump said. “I think it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.”
During the now-infamous Oval Office confrontation more than a year ago, Trump, Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance exchanged angry words over US assistance to Ukraine and whether Zelensky had adequately expressed gratitude to Washington.
“You’re not winning. You’re not winning this. You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us,” Trump told Zelensky at the time. “If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks.”
“I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States,” Trump continued. He told Zelensky, “you don’t have the cards,” but said Ukraine would be in a stronger position after signing a proposed deal. Trump also accused him of failing to show sufficient appreciation, saying, “that’s not a nice thing.”
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Trump further unsettled Kyiv last week by pausing sanctions against Russia and signing an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin involving Russian diesel fuel.
Diesel prices in the United States have climbed above $6, putting additional pressure on farmers and truck drivers—two voting groups Republicans are counting on to help preserve their congressional majority in November’s midterm elections. Trump’s Kansas visit is part of his effort to appeal to both constituencies.
Facing criticism from Republicans who accused him of favoring Moscow over Kyiv, Trump defended the decision. He said the move would give the United States a “leg up” in negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump also said he would consider meeting with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month while in China for the ASEAN meeting.
“I would do it,” Trump said.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin proposed the meeting for a period when Trump was already scheduled to be in China for talks with Asian leaders. Zelensky was not invited.
Trump and Zelensky have maintained a volatile relationship as the US president has repeatedly urged Ukraine to accept a settlement. Their frustration with each other has increasingly spilled into public statements and accusations.
Zelensky criticized Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Russia, a move announced as Moscow was losing ground on the battlefield in Ukraine.
“I believe steps have been taken to convince Ukraine to capitulate,” he told Bloomberg News. “That’s how it looks.”
He resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries, which Trump blasted as a disgrace. Zelensky said he was “only standing up for Ukraine’s interests.”
Meanwhile, Trump indicated his patience was up and the US had done enough to help Kyiv.
“We’ve given a lot to Ukraine. They’ve given nothing to us. Remember that,” Trump said.
“All I want is for Russia and Ukraine to stop that stupid war.”
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