US President Donald Trump has claimed that Russia holds the advantage in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, while also launching a fresh attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a dictator who refuses to hold elections.
Speaking to reporters, Trump suggested that Moscow was in a stronger position because of its territorial gains since the war began.
“I think the Russians want to see the war end… But I think they have the cards a little bit, because they’ve taken a lot of territory, so they have the cards,” Trump said.
The remarks come as Ukraine prepares for talks with US special envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv on Thursday. Trump’s shift in Washington’s stance on the war—particularly his willingness to engage with Moscow—has unsettled Kyiv and its European allies, who fear a deal on terms unfavourable to Ukraine.
Trump has been increasingly vocal in his criticism of Zelensky, blaming him for the war and accusing him of undermining democracy in Ukraine.
“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
While Zelensky was elected in 2019 for a five-year term, martial law has prevented new elections during the war. Despite some decline in his approval ratings, polls suggest that more than 50% of Ukrainians still trust him.
Trump also claimed that only he and his administration could broker a peace deal with Russia, adding that Zelensky had “played Biden like a fiddle.” Trump’s comments drew swift condemnation from European and American leaders.
Zelensky accused Trump of falling for Russian disinformation and warned that the new US approach was helping Russian President Vladimir Putin break out of international isolation.
Trump’s shift in policy and recent talks between Russian and US officials in Saudi Arabia have encouraged Moscow. Putin described the discussions as a “first step” toward restoring cooperation, while also claiming that Russian forces had made fresh advances into Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region—an assertion Kyiv denied.
Putin reiterated that any deal to end the conflict would require a restructuring of Europe’s security framework, signaling Moscow’s broader ambitions beyond Ukraine.
As tensions between Trump and Zelensky escalate, the upcoming negotiations will be closely watched to see whether Washington’s new approach leads to meaningful progress—or further divisions among Ukraine’s allies.
