Key Points
- Donald Trump has lashed out against Volodymyr Zelenskyy again following their White House argument.
- Trump accused Zelenskyy of rejecting peace while relying on US military support.
- Trump is set to meet aides as reports suggest he may cut all military aid to Ukraine.
United States President Donald Trump said the US would “not put up with” Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s rhetoric much longer, as he prepared to meet his top team after a disastrous Oval Office row with the Ukrainian leader.
“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer,” Trump said on social media, citing a story quoting Ukraine’s president saying the end of the war with Russia was “very, very far away”.
“This guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing.”
Trump also took aim at European leaders who met Zelenskyy for crisis talks in London at the weekend, saying they had “stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US”.
“Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
France suggests one-month truce to test Russian intentions
The United Kingdom said several proposals had been made for a truce in the fighting between Ukraine and Russia, following France’s suggestion of a one-month pause leading to peace talks.
“There are clearly a number of options on the table,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman said.
In an interview on his way to the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of a one-month truce, though there was no immediate public endorsement from other allies.
“Such a truce on air, sea and energy infrastructure would allow us to determine whether Russian president Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith when he commits to a truce,” French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said.
“And that’s when real peace negotiations could start.”
European ground troops would only be deployed to Ukraine in a second phase, Macron said in the interview, published in Le Figaro.
Trump’s broadside came after a meeting between Trump, vice president JD Vance and Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, which .
Trump and Vance raised their voices and accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful and ungrateful for US military assistance, as the Ukrainian leader pushed his demand for security guarantees as part of any truce.
Zelenskyy was then told to leave the White House, with a crucial deal giving US preferential access to Ukraine’s mineral resources left unsigned.
Trump will now meet his top aides on Monday to discuss next steps on Ukraine.
“What we need to hear from President Zelenskyy is that he has regret for what happened, he’s ready to sign this minerals deal and that he’s ready to engage in peace talks,” US national security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News.
White House officials did not confirm a report by the news outlet Axios that Trump was considering cutting all military aid to Ukraine following the row.
European leaders, who have offered peacekeepers to guarantee any ceasefire but also want a US “backstop,” met in London on Sunday in a desperate bid to resolve the row.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio spoke to UK foreign secretary David Lammy on the phone on Monday to discuss the leaders’ meeting in London.
Rubio “confirmed the United States is ready to negotiate to end the Ukraine-Russia conflict and will continue working with the UK towards peace in Ukraine,” US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.
