US‑Ukraine ties strain as Trump and Zelensky clash over negotiations and aid
President Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House on Monday that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should step aside in favor of another negotiator to end Russia’s war. “Zelenskyy is a man that should have settled this war a long time ago. If he would’ve listened to me, he would have made a much better deal a long time ago,” Trump said, adding that it might be time for Zelenskyy to find someone else to negotiate.
The criticism follows several days of Trump’s attacks on his Ukrainian counterpart. On Sunday, the president wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy does not want the war to end. Earlier in the month he called for Zelenskyy’s removal, labeling him a “warmonger” after Ukraine struck Russian oil refineries. Trump also defended sanctions waivers for Russia, saying he wants Moscow to stay at the negotiating table. Zelenskyy warned that such moves would hurt Ukraine and bolster Vladimir Putin’s war effort.
On October 9, Trump announced a plan for Russia to ship more than 300,000 metric tonnes of diesel to U.S. and global markets to ease rising fuel prices that surged after the United States and Israel began a conflict with Iran in February. The proposal has drawn anger from Kyiv, European allies and U.S. officials who say it rewards Moscow while the war continues.
During a meeting with U.S. senators on Monday, Zelenskyy told the legislators that recent Trump‑administration decisions are “hard to explain between friends.” He said arms deliveries have been delayed and intelligence sharing restricted. “We also know that the Pentagon is delaying the delivery of missiles that our partners have already paid for through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List programme,” Zelenskyy said, adding that one missile package is awaiting a signature from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He noted that several European nations are ready to transfer Patriot interceptor missiles from their own stocks but are waiting for U.S. approval.
In a video posted on Telegram, Zelenskyy said Ukraine did not receive advance warning of Russian attacks on three occasions in the past week, a warning normally provided by partners. He also suggested that recent disruptions to Starlink services in Ukraine were “deliberate,” a claim rejected by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Amid the diplomatic sparring, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Norway this week for the next round of peace talks. Reuters reported that Zelenskyy is expected to attend the Oslo meetings, which will also involve Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, representatives of the E4 grouping (the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Poland), the European Union and NATO.