Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded Monday to President Donald Trump’s remark a day earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to see Ukraine succeed” once a peace deal is signed.
Why It Matters
Trump and Zelensky met Sunday to discuss a move toward peace as the Russia-Ukraine war continues. Both said they have come “a lot closer” to a resolution to the years-long conflict. The meeting took place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after a call between Trump and Putin.
What To Know
In a Monday night interview, Fox News’ Bret Baier asked Zelensky about his reaction during a Mar-a-Lago press conference when Trump said Russia would be “helping” with post-war reconstruction in Ukraine.
As the camera cut to Zelensky—who raised an eyebrow—Trump looked over and acknowledged, “It sounds a little strange,” while Zelensky tilted his head, smiled, and replied, “Yeah.”
Trump went on to suggest Moscow could supply Ukraine with energy and electricity “and other things at very low prices.” He also said Putin had been “very generous in his feeling toward Ukraine,” comments that went viral and drew sharp criticism.
Zelensky told Baier during a Special Report interview in West Palm Beach, Florida: “I don’t trust Putin, and he doesn’t want success for Ukraine, really, he doesn’t. I believe he can say such words to President Trump, but it’s not true, really.”
He added: “He can say, that I want success for Ukraine, and I’m ready to give them cheap electricity. Between us, we don’t need cheap electricity. It’s not about energy. We don’t need anything from them.”
When Baier clarified that Trump was referring to Russia’s proposed role in reconstruction, Zelensky replied: “They have to give us money. They can give us money for this, and we will rebuild everything, and we will decide what to do.”
Zelensky also said he sees no evidence Putin is pursuing peace—pointing to Russia’s public messaging and actions. He noted that Putin has not spoken publicly about peace and has instead suggested Russia could push further militarily, which Zelensky said does not reflect an intent to end the war.
Zelensky said the United States has offered Ukraine security guarantees lasting 15 years under a proposed peace plan, adding that he would prefer a commitment of up to 50 years to deter further Russian aggression. He said negotiators are still trying to break through on major unresolved issues, including troop withdrawals and the future of Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of the world’s largest.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war has caused widespread death, destruction, and displacement. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded, according to United Nations estimates, while military casualties on both sides are believed to number in the hundreds of thousands.
Large areas of Ukraine have been devastated by fighting, with cities and towns damaged or destroyed, critical infrastructure repeatedly targeted, and economic losses estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars. The conflict has also forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes, making it the largest displacement crisis in Europe since World War II.
Meanwhile on Monday, Zelensky dismissed Russian claims that Kyiv attempted a drone strike on Putin’s residence, calling the allegation a fabrication intended to derail negotiations. Zelensky said Moscow is using the claim to justify potential strikes on Ukrainian government buildings in Kyiv and to undermine progress in talks with the United States.
What People Are Saying
Zelensky told Baier, when asked about whether Putin is seeking peace: “Me? No, to be honest. And I don’t see it because, first of all, I don’t hear it publicly. His messages, they go — I mean, he doesn’t speak about peace now. He says that he can go further. It’s not the signals of peace.”
Trump described his call with Putin as “a very good talk” and said, “we have a few very thorny issues, as you can imagine” in negotiations to end the war. “If we get them resolved, you’re going to have peace,” he added.
On the key Donbas issue, Trump said: “It’s unresolved, but it’s getting a lot closer. That’s a very tough issue, but one that I think will get resolved.”
What Happens Next
Zelensky warned that U.S. and European partners would continue supporting Kyiv in its fight against Russia’s invasion if Moscow does not agree to a deal to end the war.
Trump will host Zelensky with NATO and European leaders in the U.S. in January to finalize parts of the plan. He expects Europe to play a major role in Ukraine’s security guarantees, which could include peacekeeping troops after the war—an idea the Kremlin has rejected as unacceptable.
