Trump: “Putin wants to make a deal more than Zelensky”

U.S. President Donald Trump said that Vladimir Putin is more eager to reach a peace agreement than Vladimir Zelensky.

The remarks were made outside the White House before Trump departed for Republican campaign events.

The comments were prompted by journalists’ questions about the energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia that Trump had announced. Members of the media accused Russia of violating the ceasefire on the evening of October 12. Trump responded that there had been violations on both sides.

Journalists also pointed out to the president that he had claimed Russia and Ukraine had reached a ceasefire agreement, while both countries denied it.

“They reached an agreement. You know why? Because I said: ‘You have to agree.’ That’s why,” Trump replied.

When he was presented with Zelensky’s statement that the Ukrainian president supports the energy ceasefire proposal while Putin does not, Trump disagreed with that assessment.

“I think they both support it… I think Putin wants to make a deal, and we need to convince Zelensky to want to make a deal too,” the U.S. president said.

Trump added that, in his view, Putin wants an agreement more than Zelensky does: “I think Putin actually wants to make a deal more than Zelensky.”

Several hours later, at a Republican campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump returned to the subject of a settlement.

“I’ll be honest: Russia and Ukraine want to make a deal too. They just don’t know how to get there. There is very strong hatred between the leaders of the two countries, but we will get this deal done as well,” he said.

The day before, Trump had accused the “fake media” of criticizing him over a diesel fuel agreement with Russia while ignoring the fact that Europe continues to buy Russian energy.