US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for rejecting the idea of ceding territory to Russia, saying he “very, very severely” disagrees with the Ukrainian leader’s position, The Hill reported.
“I get along with Zelensky, but I strongly disagree with his approach. This is a war that should have never happened,” Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine.
Trump announced last week that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday in an attempt to broker an end to the conflict. The talks are expected to explore a possible “land swap” arrangement “for the betterment of both” countries — a proposal Zelensky firmly rejected over the weekend.
“Of course, we will not reward Russia for what it has done. The Ukrainian people deserve peace, but we will not give our land to an occupier,” Zelensky said, adding that all partners must understand Ukraine’s stance.
Trump expressed frustration over Zelensky’s resistance, saying, “He’s got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs constitutional approval to do a land swap. There’ll be some swapping and changes in land — for the good of Ukraine — though it’s very complex.”
The remarks come after Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met Putin in Moscow last week, where the Russian leader reportedly proposed a ceasefire that would require Ukraine to withdraw from the Donetsk region, granting Kremlin control there and in Luhansk.
Zelensky has not been invited to the Alaska summit, but Trump said he hopes a meeting between Zelensky and Putin could follow. “I’ll know in the first two minutes whether a deal can be made,” Trump said, adding, “Ultimately, I’m going to put the two of them in a room — with or without me — and I think it’ll get solved.” (Agencies)
