“Putin is ready”: Trump accused Ukraine of obstructing a peace deal

U.S. President Donald Trump believes that Kyiv—not Moscow—is preventing a peace agreement from being reached.

He said this in an interview with Reuters.

“I think he (Russian President Vladimir Putin — Ed.) is ready to make a deal. I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal,” the White House chief said.

Asked why U.S.-led negotiations have still not brought the war to an end, Trump replied briefly: “Zelensky.” Reuters noted that the Ukrainian president has said his country will not pursue peace at any price.

“I just think it’s hard for him, you know, to get to the finish line,” Trump added about Zelensky.

“Trump’s comments signal a renewed frustration with the Ukrainian leader,” Reuters concluded.

Trump also confirmed his trip to the forum in Davos and a likely meeting there with Zelensky.

In the same interview, the U.S. president touched on the issue of a ceasefire in Gaza that he initiated. He said that his peace initiatives there and in Ukraine had run into difficulties. Despite his claim that he brought peace to the Middle East, Trump acknowledged that Hamas has still not disarmed and that it is unclear whether it will do so at all.

“They were born with weapons in their hands. So we’ll have to find out whether we can do it,” Trump said.

Meanwhile, Trump still has not agreed to support European troops if they are deployed to Ukraine after the end of hostilities.