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President Donald Trump has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of prolonging the war with Russia by refusing to negotiate in good faith.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you haven’t been following along, the US has significantly ramped up its efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, with the Trump administration reportedly floating a deal that would freeze the current front lines and formally recognize Russian control over Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine. The proposed framework also includes lifting sanctions on Russia and requires Ukraine to abandon its pursuit of NATO membership—concessions that align closely with Russia’s demands. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected any agreement that involves ceding sovereign territory, maintaining that Russia, as the invader, must be the one to retreat. He has also openly criticized Trump administration officials for advancing what he describes as Russian propaganda, either knowingly or out of diplomatic naivety. As frustration mounts over the stalled negotiations, senior Trump officials have warned that if no deal is reached soon, the United States may withdraw from its mediating role and allow the conflict to play out on its own terms.
What’s going on now: In an interview with Time magazine, President Donald Trump laid out his vision for ending the war in Ukraine. Trump said, “Crimea will stay with Russia,” stressing that the peninsula has “been with them for a long time” and adding, “Zelensky understands that, and everybody understands that.” He also blamed Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership for sparking the conflict in the first place: “I don’t think they’ll ever be able to join NATO. I think that’s been—from day one, I think that’s what caused the war to start.”
Trump further suggested that President Zelenskyy has been “harder to work with” than Putin and reiterated his belief that peace could be achieved quickly if both sides “just sat down and did it.” He warned that if Ukraine and Russia do not come to terms soon, his administration might stop attempting to broker a deal and allow the war to continue without further US mediation.
Trump also hinted that future American military aid to Ukraine could be in jeopardy if negotiations fail, echoing recent signals from his administration that US support is conditional on progress toward peace. “We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vice President JD Vance said earlier this week. Trump’s own comments echoed that urgency: “There’s no deadline [for peace talks], but I just want to do it as fast as possible.”
This all comes as Russia has continued to ramp up its attacks on Ukraine, including a drone and missile strike on Kyiv that killed 12 people and injured 87, marking one of the deadliest attacks in recent months. In response, Trump issued a rare public rebuke of Putin, writing on his Truth Social platform: “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying.” He followed up during a press briefing, saying, “I didn’t like last night, I wasn’t happy with it. We’re putting a lot of pressure on Russia, and Russia knows that.”
