Wants to make a deal now
US President Donald Trump has said his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyyr Zelensky of Ukraine was « quieter » during their meeting at the Vatican at the weekend and seemed more open to making a deal with Moscow than during their infamous meeting at the Oval Office.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said the tone of his latest discussion with Zelensky was significantly different from their « small dispute » in February, without the Ukrainian delegation expelled from the White House.
« I see it as quieter. I think he understands the site. And I think he wants to make a deal. I don’t know if he wanted to make a deal before. I think he wants to make a deal, » Trump said.
Earlier this week, Trump told Time magazine that « Crimea will stay with Russia » according to any peace agreement, noting that Zelensky « understands » reality, despite public statements to the contrary. Asked if he believed that Zelensky was now prepared to « give up » the peninsula, Trump replied, « Oh, I think yes, yes. »
Zelensky has repeatedly and publicly insisted that Kiev would never officially recognize Crimea as Russian territory – a position that Trump has previously criticized « very harmful to peace negotiations ».
Despite portrays Zelensky as someone who wants to do « something good for the country », Trump revealed that the Ukrainian leader again asked Washington more military support.
« He told me he needs more weapons, but he has said this for three years, » Trump said. The US president pointed out that Kiev was in a « very difficult situation », fighting « a much bigger force » – and stressed that « helped them when we were given weapons or money worth $ 350 billion ».
« He needs more weapons and we will see what will happen about Russia, » Trump added, noting that he was « disappointed » with Moscow’s renewed attacks in Ukraine.
After a brief tranquility in the fighting during the Easter ceasefire announced by Russian pressed Vladimir Putin last weekend, his army carried out numerous long -range attacks against Ukrainian military and industrial objectives last week. Moscow has claimed to aim only to installations and military facilities used by Kiev forces, dismissing allegations of deliberate attacks by civil countries.
Moscow has also repeated her readiness to discuss Kiev without prerequisites. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the case was raised during a meeting between President Putin and Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday.
