- Trump intensifies criticism of Zelenskyy, accusing him of resisting peace efforts.
- European leaders push for a Ukraine ceasefire plan but seek U.S. support.
- Zelenskyy insists on security guarantees as Trump engages directly with Moscow.
U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while taking aim at European leaders for rallying behind Ukraine’s efforts in the ongoing war with Russia.
In response to last week’s Oval Office confrontation between Trump and Zelenskyy, European nations—led by the UK and France—are exploring proposals to bring an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a summit of European leaders in London on Sunday, where they agreed to draft a peace plan to present to Washington. “There are clearly a number of options on the table,” Starmer’s spokesperson said on Monday.
One of the proposals, backed by France, Britain, and potentially other European nations, involves sending troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire—a move already rejected by Moscow. However, European leaders insist that such an effort would require U.S. support or a “backstop.”
Trump, in a major shift from previous U.S. policy, has bypassed Ukraine and its Western allies by engaging directly with Moscow. On Friday, he publicly pressured Zelenskyy to align with his approach.
On Monday, Trump lashed out at the Ukrainian leader after Zelenskyy told the Associated Press that an end to the war remained “far, far away.”
Taking to Truth Social, Trump called it “the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy” and warned that “America will not put up with it for much longer!”
“This guy doesn’t want peace as long as he has America’s backing,” Trump wrote. “Europe, in their meeting with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S.”
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Zelenskyy has maintained that any ceasefire must include explicit security guarantees from Western nations to prevent future Russian aggression. Trump, however, has refused to offer such assurances.
Following Trump’s remarks, Zelenskyy reaffirmed Kyiv’s commitment to diplomacy, expressing hope for continued U.S. support. “It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war as soon as possible,” he wrote on X. “We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope for U.S. support on the path to peace.”
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has floated the idea of a one-month ceasefire, though it has yet to receive public backing from other allies.
