President Donald Trump has dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s suggestion that the United States could apprehend Russian President Vladimir Putin, following the recent American measures against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

During a meeting with U.S. oil company executives at the White House, Trump expressed skepticism about undertaking such an operation. He also conveyed his frustration with the ongoing conflict and his inability to resolve it thus far, despite his campaign promises to end the war swiftly if he returned to office. Meetings with both Zelenskyy and Putin have yet to yield a solution.

When Fox News’ Peter Doocy inquired about the possibility of capturing Putin, Trump responded, “Well, I don’t think it’s going to be necessary.”

Trump elaborated, sharing his disappointment with Putin despite their previously strong rapport. “I’ve always had a great relationship with him. I’m very disappointed,” he stated. “I settled eight wars. I thought this would be in the middle of the pack or maybe one of the easier ones.”

“I’ve always had a great relationship with him. I’m very disappointed,” Trump said of Putin. “I settled eight wars. I thought this would be in the middle of the pack or maybe one of the easier ones.”

Trump said the conflict continues to take a heavy toll, particularly on Russian forces, and claimed Moscow’s economy is suffering.

“And in the last month, they lost 31,000 people, many of them Russian soldiers,” Trump said, adding that the Russian economy is “doing poorly.”

“I think we’re going to end up getting it settled,” Trump said. “I wish we could have done it quicker because a lot of people are dying.

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin as Russia continues its war against Ukraine and tensions remain high with NATO. (Ramil Sitdikov/Pool/Reuters )

“But largely it’s the soldier population,” he continued. “When you have 30,000, 31,000 soldiers dying in a period of a month, 27,000 the month before, 26,000 the month before that. That’s bad stuff.”

Trump also criticized the Biden administration for sending what he said was $350 billion to Ukraine, arguing the U.S. should be able to recoup costs through a rare earth minerals agreement tied to continued support. He also claimed the U.S. is not losing money in the conflict, saying Washington is benefiting through arms sales to NATO allies, pointing to NATO’s pledge to raise defense and security spending toward 5% of GDP by 2035, up from the longstanding 2% benchmark.

“We’re not losing any money. We’re making a lot of money,” Trump said. 

Apartment buildings hit by a Russian missile strike Jan. 9, 2026, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine in the city of in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine. (Stringer/Reuters)

Zelenskyy made his comments after Russia said it fired its new nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile as part of a massive overnight attack on Ukraine, a claim Kyiv disputed. Ukrainian officials said the barrage involved hundreds of drones and multiple missiles and struck energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, killing at least four people. 

Zelenskyy called on the United States and the international community to respond, saying Russia must face consequences for attacks targeting ordinary civilians.