Trump: Russia Ready for Peace Deal, But Ukraine’s Agreement ‘Harder Than Expected’
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Russia is prepared to strike a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine, but getting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree has proven more difficult than anticipated. Speaking from the Oval Office while signing executive orders, Trump noted, “I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelenskyy, and I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelenskyy. So far, it’s been harder. But that’s okay.”
Trump criticized Zelenskyy for ruling out the recognition of Russia’s occupation of Crimea during a recent press conference, calling the statement “very harmful to the Peace Negotiations.” He emphasized that Crimea was “lost years ago” under President Obama and questioned why Ukraine did not act militarily at the time of its annexation in 2014. When asked whether the peace deal involves recognizing Russian sovereignty over Crimea, Trump dodged specifics, saying, “everything is good,” and stressed his goal was to end the war and save lives without taking sides.
The former president also hinted at a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating it might occur after his mid-May trip to Saudi Arabia. He further confirmed that a recent meeting in London between his envoy, Keith Kellogg, and Ukrainian officials, including Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, “went well,” and expressed hope that both sides will eventually reach a mutual agreement to stop the ongoing conflict.
