With Donald Trump being said to be considering military aid to Ukraine, the rift between Washington and Kiev over a potential ceasefire in the war with Russia has grown deeper as he expressed new rage to Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the end of the war could be “very, very far away.”
In a social media post Monday, Trump posted a link to the Associated Press story outlined Zelenskyy’s comments, saying:
“That’s what I was saying. This guy doesn’t want peace as long as he has American support. Europe said at a meeting with Zelensky they couldn’t work without the US,” Trump continued.
“It’s probably not a big statement that it was made in terms of a show of strength against Russia,” he said. “What are they thinking?”
Later on Monday, Trump said Zelensky “said there aren’t many.
“Long unless he succumbs to pressure and trades on US terms.”
“That shouldn’t be that difficult. Trump told reporters, referring to the ceasefire. “Now, someone may not want to make a deal. If someone doesn’t want to make a deal, I don’t think that person will last that long.”
It was reported that the Trump administration plans to restore relations with Russia on Monday and lift Kremlin sanctions. This will turn a sharp turn on US policies that warn European allies and serve as a broader settlement between Russia and the United States.
The state and the Treasury Department are said to be tasked with creating a list of sanctions the United States can lift as part of the administration’s broad talks with Moscow on improving diplomatic and economic relations, Reuters reported.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the Trump administration has stopped funding for new weapons sales to Ukraine and is considering shipping frozen weapons from US stockpiles.
Trump denied discussing suspension of military aid to Ukraine, saying: So, now we will see what happens. Literally, as we speak, a lot is happening now. ”
The gusts of activity followed France’s proposal for a partial month-long ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
“Such a ceasefire will be determined in air, seas and energy infrastructure — in the air, in the oceans and in the energy infrastructure,” French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barott said on Monday, and that he can measure his attitude towards “real peace negotiations.”
A day after European leaders traveled around Ukraine at the London summit, Barott added: “There was never a risk of war in Europe in the EU. The threat continues to approach us, and the frontlines continue to approach us.”
Zelensky expressed his optimism about the partnership between Ukraine and the US, saying, “We think our relationship will continue as our relationship (with the US) is more than an occasional relationship.”
These comments followed an explosion in the oval office where Trump accused Zelensky of World War III and “gambling” and told the Ukrainian president to return “when he is ready for peace.”
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Kiel’s Starge and France’s Emmanuel Macron tried to act as an intermediary between Zelensky and the White House as the relationship between Kiev and the White House appears to be at a breaking point.
Trump’s remarks came on Monday when he planned to discuss the next steps to convene Top White House officials, according to reports from the New York Times and other US media. Those who will be taking part in the briefing include national security advisers Michael Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses.
Trump’s allies continue to put pressure on Zelensky over the weekend, with some suggesting that the Ukrainian president should consider resigning to provide a way for negotiations. Rubio and Waltz were considered the most hawks of Trump’s cabinet in Russia, but as tensions escalated, they are in line with his and JD Vance’s criticism of Ukraine.
Speaking to Fox on Monday morning, Waltz didn’t say Zelensky should resign, but when asked if Zelensky was suitable to lead Ukraine, “What happened on Friday really put it in the air,” he previously told CNN: “We need a leader who can deal with us, and ultimately deal with the Russians and end this war. If it becomes clear that either President Zelensky’s personal or political motivations differs from ending the fight in his country, then we have a real problem.”
Germany has been leading the US leadership questioning under the new Trump administration. Friedrich Merz, who is likely to be Germany’s next prime minister, suggested that the oval office spat was a pre-set trap for Ukrainian leaders. “It was clearly a manufactured escalation, not a spontaneous response to Zelensky’s intervention,” Meltz said.
Meltz had previously said that the Trump administration appears to be indifferent to the fate of Europe. “My absolute priority is to strengthen Europe as soon as possible, so that in stages we can actually achieve independence from the US,” he said in his remarks last week as tensions rose between the US and Europe over the possibility of a ceasefire negotiation with Russia.
French Prime Minister François Bailloux also criticised Trump’s actions, telling Congress: President Zelensky never folded, so I think we can thank him. ”
A senior European official who asked to remain anonymous said Trump had to choose whether to call him “the leader of the free world or the leader of the terror gang.” The latter is not interesting for Europe. ”
