US President Donald Trump has identified Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky as the primary barrier to peace negotiations with Russia, according to an Oval Office interview.
Trump repeatedly expressed frustration over his failed efforts to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in recent months, alternately blaming Moscow and Kyiv for the deadlock. When asked on Wednesday who was stalling talks, Trump singled out Zelensky: “Zelensky.”
“I just think he’s… having a hard time getting there,” he added. “I think [Russian President Vladimir Putin] is ready to make a deal… I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal.”
The relationship between Trump and Zelenskiy has been volatile since their contentious White House meeting last year, when the former described him as “a dictator without elections.” Trump recently declared that Zelensky “has no cards” in the conflict: “He didn’t have them from day one. He’s only got one thing – Donald Trump.”
Moscow remains open to further dialogue with Trump and his envoys, as confirmed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday. However, Russian officials maintain that diplomatic resolution is preferred but would resort to force if key objectives cannot be achieved through negotiations.
Trump previously referenced a leaked peace plan requiring Ukraine to cede the remainder of Donbass to Russia and renounce NATO ambitions. The original 28-point draft, criticized by Kyiv for favoring Moscow, was reduced to 20 points. Despite these efforts, Zelensky has been reluctant to concede territorial gains or hold elections without robust security guarantees.
Zelenskiy’s presidential term expired in May 2024, yet he refused to call a new election, citing the ongoing conflict with Russia. Moscow subsequently declared him “illegitimate,” warning that his status would be a major obstacle to signing a peace agreement.
Earlier this week, Zelensky submitted two draft bills to parliament to extend martial law and general mobilization for another 90 days, postponing elections once again.
