Trump tells Reuters Zelenskyy is 'main impediment' to Ukraine peace, claims Putin 'ready to make a deal'

In an exclusive Reuters interview from the Oval Office, President Trump declared that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is 'the main impediment' to ending the nearly four-year war with Russia, insisting that Vladimir Putin is 'ready to make a deal' and arguing 'we have to get President Zelenskyy to go along with it.' This rhetoric directly contradicts the position of European allies, who have consistently maintained that Moscow shows little interest in ending the war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov immediately endorsed Trump's framing, saying Moscow 'can agree' with the assessment that Ukraine is holding up peace talks. Trump's comments represent a significant shift in U.S. positioning, placing blame on the victim of Russian aggression rather than the aggressor, and aligning American rhetoric with Russian propaganda.

"President Zelenskyy is now the main impediment to ending the four-year war. Putin is ready to make a deal and we have to get President Zelenskyy to go along with it." — Exclusive sit-down interview with Reuters conducted in the Oval Office