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President Donald Trump slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday for suggesting that the end of Russia’s war against Ukraine is still “very, very far away.”
“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 in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Zelenskyy late Sunday said he believed the war would go on for some time, while trying to offer a positive take about the U.S.-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of his contentious White House meeting with the Republican president and Vice President JD Vance.
“I think our relationship (with the U.S.) will continue, because it’s more than an occasional relationship,” Zelenskyy said, referring to Washington’s support for the past three years of war.
But Trump seemed further irritated by Zelenskyy’s latest comments suggesting it will take time for the three-year conflict to come to a close.
“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. — Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia,” Trump added in his post. “What are they thinking?”
France floats Ukraine ceasefire proposal
Britain said on Monday there were several possible proposals on the table for a possible Ukraine ceasefire, after France floated a proposal for a month-long initial truce that could pave the way for peace talks.
European countries, led by Britain and France, are looking at options for a peace proposal including Ukraine after last week’s Oval Office rupture between Trump and Zelenskyy.
“There are clearly a number of options on the table,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman said. “I’m just not getting into a running commentary on the options.”
White House national security adviser Mike Waltz, when asked about the weekend activities of Europe rallying around Zelenskyy, told reporters: “So, we welcome Europe stepping up for Europe, but they have to also invest in the capabilities to do so.”
France, Britain and potentially other European countries have offered to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, but say they would want support from the U.S., a proposal referred to as a “backstop.”
Zelenskyy says a ceasefire must come with explicit security guarantees from the West to ensure Russia, which invaded Ukraine three years ago and holds about 20% of its territory, does not attack again. Trump has refused to give any such guarantees.
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Starmer hosted a summit of European leaders in London on Sunday and said European leaders had agreed to draw up a Ukraine peace plan to present to the United States.
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MERZ SAYS OVAL OFFICE CLASH ‘NOT SPONTANEOUS’
Friedrich Merz, the conservative due to become Germany’s chancellor after winning the largest share of the vote in an election a week ago, suggested Friday’s Oval Office argument was a trap set in advance for the Ukrainian leader.
“It was not a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelenskyy, but obviously a manufactured escalation,” he said.
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We must now show that we are in a position to act independently in Europe, he said.
Privately, European officials have been fuming at what they saw as a betrayal of Ukraine, which had previously enjoyed staunch support from the United States since Russia’s invasion.
One senior official declared in the aftermath of the blow-up: “Donald Trump has to choose if he wants to call himself a leader of the free world, or leader of an extortion gang. The latter is not interesting for Europe.”
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But Europeans are also still working hard to keep the U.S. on side. Peter Mandelson, Britain’s ambassador to the United States, said Ukrainian-U.S. relations needed to be reset, as Trump’s initiative to end the war was “the only show in town.”
European leaders agreed they must spend more on defense to show Trump the continent can protect itself. The European Union is due to hold an emergency summit on Thursday.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she will inform member states on Tuesday about plans to strengthen the European defense industry and the EU’s military capabilities.
“We need a massive surge in defense, without any question. We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves.”
Conclusion:
The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for three years, with no end in sight. The latest developments suggest that the conflict is far from being resolved, and that the international community is still working to find a solution.
FAQs:
Q: What is the current state of the war in Ukraine?
A: The war in Ukraine is ongoing, with fighting still taking place between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.
Q: What is the current state of Ukrainian-U.S. relations?
A: Ukrainian-U.S. relations are strained, with the two countries having different views on how to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
Q: What is the current state of European Union’s position on the war in Ukraine?
A: The European Union has agreed to work together to find a solution to the conflict, with the aim of achieving a ceasefire and a peaceful resolution.
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