Trump slams Zelenskyy for saying the end of the Russia war ‘is still very, very far away’

“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Mr. Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!” Mr. Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

President Donald Trump slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday (March 3, 2025) for suggesting that the end of Russia’s war against Ukraine is still likely “very, very far away.”

The comments come as prominent Trump allies escalate pressure on Mr. Zelenskyy to dramatically change his approach to the U.S. president, who has made quickly ending the war a top priority, or step aside.

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The long complicated relationship between the leaders has reached a nadir following a disastrous White House meeting in which Mr. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance excoriated Mr. Zelenskyy for not being sufficiently thankful for U.S. support for Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!” Mr. Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform about comments from Mr. Zelenskyy made late Sunday (March 2, 2025).

Also Read | Zelensky and European allies cement cooperation after Trump row

Mr. Trump took issue with Mr. Zelenskyy suggesting it would take time to come to an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to end the war, while trying to offer a positive take on the U.S.-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of the White House meeting.

“I think our relationship (with the U.S.) will continue, because it’s more than an occasional relationship,” Mr. Zelenskyy said, referring to Washington’s support for the past three years of war.

Also Read | ‘We are grateful’: Zelensky posts video message days after Oval Office spat with Trump

But Mr. Trump was only further irritated by Mr. Zelenskyy’s suggesting it will take time for the conflict to come to a close.

“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. — Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia,” Mr. Trump added in his post. “What are they thinking?”

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Earlier Monday (March 3, 2025), Mr. Trump’s national security adviser said Mr. Zelenskyy’s posture during Friday’s (February 28, 2025) Oval Office talks “put up in the air” whether he’s someone the U.S. administration will be able to deal with going forward.

“Is he ready, personally, politically, to move his country towards an end to the fighting?” Mike Waltz said on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” on Monday (March 3, 2025). “And can he and will he make the compromises necessary?”

Also Read | U.S. defence chief pauses cyber offensive against Russia: reports

Mr. Waltz added another layer of doubt about U.S. support as other high-profile Trump allies have suggested that the relationship between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelenskyy is becoming untenable.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday (March 2, 2025) that Mr. Zelenskyy “needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country” for Ukraine to continue pursuing a peace deal negotiated by the United States.

Also Read | U.K. says ‘no agreement’ on Ukraine partial truce proposal

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has been vociferous supporter of Ukraine, said soon after the Oval Office meeting that Mr. Zelenskyy “either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.”

Published - March 03, 2025 11:07 pm IST