US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Newsmax, stating that the latter does not actually seek peace.
"I am not a big fan of Zelensky," Trump emphasized, adding that if the parties reach an agreement, it will happen without the participation of Ukraine's current leader.
"He says he wants to settle the conflict, but in reality he doesn't want to," Trump noted.
Recall that Trump had recently also said that it is time to hold presidential elections in Ukraine. According to the US president, Zelensky has stayed in power too long, and the country needs a new leader capable of reaching agreements.
This statement by Trump differs significantly from the previous line of supporting Ukraine, and it is hardly coincidental that it comes precisely as winter approaches, while military and economic fatigue has grown considerably. European leaders are already talking about the need to support Ukraine in surviving the winter, which shows that the range of issues discussed in the Western camp is changing—from settlement and sustained support to more immediate survival problems.
The fact that Trump openly calls Zelensky's role as a negotiator into question may exert pressure on Kyiv toward holding elections and internal political changes, but it also complicates any agreement process when one of the parties' leaders is publicly removed from the game. These statements do not yet offer a detailed roadmap, and it remains unknown how the Ukrainian side will respond, as well as whether this position will lead to concrete actions or remain as a tool of negotiating pressure.
