Trump Critiques Zelenskyy Over Peace Proposal Stalemate Amid Ongoing Ukraine Conflict
Tensions Rise Over Peace Talks
Kyiv: On Sunday, former President Donald Trump expressed disappointment in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating that he is not prepared to endorse a peace plan proposed by the U.S. aimed at resolving the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Trump's remarks followed three days of negotiations between U.S. and Ukrainian representatives, which concluded on Saturday. He indicated that Zelenskyy is hindering progress in the discussions.
In a conversation with reporters, Trump remarked, "I’m somewhat let down that President Zelenskyy hasn’t reviewed the proposal yet, as of a few hours ago. His team is enthusiastic about it, but he hasn’t taken a look." He added, "I believe Russia is on board, but I’m uncertain about Zelenskyy’s stance. His team is supportive, but he isn’t ready to proceed."
It's important to note that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not publicly endorsed the U.S. plan. In fact, he previously stated that certain elements of Trump's proposal were impractical, despite the initial draft being heavily skewed in favor of Russia.
Since beginning his second term, Trump has maintained a fluctuating relationship with Zelenskyy, often criticizing the war as a misuse of American taxpayer funds. He has also suggested that Ukraine should concede territory to Russia to end the nearly four-year-long conflict, which he claims has resulted in excessive loss of life.
Zelenskyy reported on Saturday that he had a productive phone conversation with U.S. officials involved in the negotiations with a Ukrainian delegation in Florida. He mentioned receiving updates from both U.S. and Ukrainian officials during the discussions.
"Ukraine is committed to collaborating sincerely with the U.S. to achieve peace," Zelenskyy shared on social media.
Trump's comments came as Russia expressed approval of the Trump administration's updated national security strategy, as noted by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov in statements released by a Russian news agency.
Peskov remarked that the new strategic document aligns closely with Moscow's perspective, highlighting its emphasis on dialogue and the importance of fostering positive relations.
The strategy, unveiled by the White House on Friday, indicates that the U.S. aims to mend its relationship with Russia after years of treating Moscow as an international outcast, with the resolution of the war being a key U.S. interest to restore strategic stability.
During the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday, Keith Kellogg, Trump's outgoing envoy to Ukraine, stated that efforts to conclude the war are nearing completion, contingent on resolving two main issues: territorial disputes, particularly in Donbas, and the status of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Currently, Russia controls most of the Donbas region, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk, territories it illegally annexed three years ago. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, under Russian control since the onset of the invasion, requires stable power to cool its inactive reactors and spent fuel to prevent potential nuclear disasters.
Kellogg, who is set to leave his position in January, was absent from the Florida talks.
In a separate development, officials announced that leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany are scheduled to meet with Zelenskyy in London on Monday.
As the negotiations concluded, Russian missile, drone, and artillery strikes resulted in at least four fatalities in Ukraine over the weekend.
Local authorities reported that a drone strike in the northern Chernihiv region killed one individual on Saturday night, while a combined missile and drone assault on infrastructure in Kremenchuk caused significant power and water outages. Kremenchuk is a major industrial center and home to one of Ukraine's largest oil refineries.
Ukrainian officials, along with their Western allies, accuse Russia of attempting to cripple Ukraine's power grid, thereby denying civilians access to essential services during the winter, a tactic they describe as 'weaponizing' the cold.
Additionally, three people lost their lives and ten others were injured on Sunday due to shelling by Russian forces in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, according to the regional prosecutor's office.