President Donald Trump said Monday he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine, while stepping up his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump suggested that a meeting between world leaders, which Putin reportedly proposed, could take place without Zelensky’s presence.
“Anything I can do to end the war, whether anyone is there or not,” Trump told reporters when asked about a possible meeting as he left the White House for a campaign rally in Kansas.
The comments come as tensions between Trump and Zelensky have continued to rise in recent weeks, while Russia – which invaded Ukraine in 2022 – has benefited from several respites from the United States.
Trump initially suggested he would be more interested in discussing “denuclearization” with Putin and Xi, saying: “Russia, frankly, has done well with Ukraine. She didn’t do much. »
The Wall Street Journal had reported that Putin, in a phone call with Trump on October 9, floated the idea of a trilateral summit with Xi next month.
The meeting could take place during the next Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, scheduled for November 18-19, the Journal reported.
“If President Xi wants to have it, I’ll have it. I’m sure we would also talk about other things like trade. But yes, I would,” Trump said in his Monday remarks.
He also said Russia and China, both of which have been accused of supporting Iran in its ongoing military efforts against the United States, have done “very little” for Tehran.
And when asked about Zelensky’s criticism of Trump’s recent decision to lift new sanctions on Russia – and his recent assertion that Trump was on the wrong side of history – the US president once again lashed out at the Ukrainian leader.
“Zelensky doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Trump said. “Zelensky is a man who should have settled this war a long time ago.”
“I think it’s time for someone else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine,” Trump added, echoing his previous call for kyiv to “get a new president.”
Zelensky says Starlink and Starshield, Elon Musk’s essential satellite services EspaceXhave recently been degraded and that US intelligence sharing has also been disrupted, leaving Ukraine without advance warning of Russian strikes.
“No explanation on any of these issues has been provided to Ukraine by the American side,” Zelenskyy said Monday after a call with bipartisan U.S. lawmakers in the House and Senate.
Trump said outside the White House that he didn’t know who ordered the Starlink service to be cut, “but I’d like to know.”
Musk said last week that the US government and Trump were “ultimately” responsible for any slowdown. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied that the United States was behind the interruption, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Zelensky to be “very careful about making statements like this that are not true.”
Zelensky also once again criticized Trump’s decision to waive key provisions of a new Russian sanctions bill, which was signed last month after passing Congress with broad bipartisan support.
He said he showed lawmakers photos of the scene of a Russian attack in the Kharkiv region that killed six people, including a mother and her 1-year-old child.
“This is how Russia reacts to the lifting of sanctions and the easing of pressure,” Zelensky said.
Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said in a joint statement after the meeting: “Funding Russia’s war machine, disabling Ukraine’s satellite communications, and crippling its air defenses are all obstacles to peace.” »
“Trying to appease a murderous thug like Vladimir Putin will only prolong this war and lead to greater losses,” the senators said.
Trump had previously faced criticism from members of both parties after announcing a deal to allow Russia to supply diesel fuel to the global market, despite existing sanctions.
But in his remarks Monday, Trump hit back, saying he was “not looking to break off negotiations” with Putin on the Ukraine, Iran, diesel and hostage release deals.
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