Trump Claims Putin Seeks Peace and Urges Ukraine to Change Leadership

US President Donald Trump stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is eager to achieve a settlement to end the conflict in Ukraine. During a press briefing following a 90-minute phone call with the Russian leader, Trump asserted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been reluctant to negotiate a deal and suggested that a change in Ukrainian leadership could help secure an agreement with Moscow.

Trump criticized the Ukrainian president for not holding elections since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022. These comments highlight a growing tension between Washington and Kyiv over the direction of the war, energy-related economic issues, and potential terms for peace.

Trump also placed blame on Zelenskyy for continuing the war and criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, claiming they drive up diesel prices in the United States. Meanwhile, the announcement of a US-Russian agreement concerning Russian diesel supplies has drawn strong criticism from Ukraine and various European nations, who fear it will lessen economic pressure on Moscow. In response to the escalating situation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed halting strikes on Russian oil refineries if Moscow agrees to stop attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure.