US President Donald Trump made a series of controversial statements about the war in Ukraine, effectively acknowledging Russia’s military superiority and once again increasing pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky. The American leader argued that Moscow continues to advance, Ukraine must agree to a peace deal, and delaying negotiations will only worsen Kyiv’s position.
Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House.
“Russia is a big machine. They just keep grinding forward, and that’s what they’ve done. They’ve taken a very large piece of land,” the US president declared.
According to Trump, the Russian military has a virtually inexhaustible supply of manpower, allowing it to continue its offensive operations.
“Russians keep marching forward. They have an unlimited supply of people,” Trump stated.
He also emphasized the enormous difference in size between the two countries.
“Russia is a giant nation. Ukraine is not,” the American president remarked.
Trump separately addressed civilian deaths caused by Russian strikes. He suggested that while some civilians are killed in attacks, most casualties are supposedly military personnel.
“Some people in a town that got hit or whatever, but mostly soldiers die,” he stated.
The US president also pointed to the thousands of troops being killed in the war every month.
“Thousands of soldiers are getting killed a month. It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of. Over what?” Trump asked.
The American president’s strongest warnings were directed at Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump argued that the Ukrainian leader had an opportunity to secure a significantly more favorable agreement in the spring of last year.
“Zelensky could have made a good deal back in March 2025. He could have made a much better deal than he can make now,” the US president stated.
Trump warned that refusing to reach an agreement could have even more serious consequences for Ukraine.
“Zelensky has to want to settle this war, and if he doesn’t, I think it’s going to be a very bad thing,” he emphasized.
The American president also expressed doubts that Ukrainian society would continue to tolerate the current situation.
“I don’t think Zelensky’s people are going to stand for it any longer. He needs to make a deal,” Trump stated.
He added that both the United States and European countries had spent enormous sums supporting Ukraine and claimed that Europe was growing tired of the war.
“Ukraine has to want to make a deal, because the United States has spent a fortune, Europe has spent a fortune, and Europe is tired of it right now. If they don’t make a deal, ultimately, it’s just going to get โ in my opinion, it’s just really going to get worse,” Trump warned.
Trump once again raised the issue of American financial assistance, arguing that Washington had received little in return for the money it had spent.
“We’ve given a lot to Ukraine. We’ve gotten absolutely nothing back except grief, death, tremendous monetary loss,” the US president stated.
According to Trump, American taxpayers have grown tired of financing Ukraine.
“We have given probably more money to Ukraine than almost anybody over the years, hundreds of billions of dollars. We’ve gotten nothing back, and the American taxpayers are tired of it. We want Zelensky to make a deal,” Trump declared.
He also repeated his claim that the United States had provided Ukraine with $350 billion and asserted that Washington had secured access to Ukrainian land, rare earth minerals, and other assets in return.
“We gave $350 billion to Ukraine. And I insisted on getting something for that money, and we got a very big chunk of land and rare earth and other things. Let’s see what that amounts to,” he stated.
Trump also focused on the personal relationship between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents. In his view, the mutual hostility between Zelensky and Putin is one of the main obstacles to reaching a peace agreement.
“The hatred between Putin and Zelensky is tremendous. I think that’s most of the reason they haven’t been able to make a deal, actually,” the US president stated.
Asked whether Zelensky and Putin would need to meet in person to sign a peace agreement, Trump suggested that such a meeting was not necessarily required.
“I guess they can do it another way. It’s hard for them to be in the same room. I don’t care how it’s done,” he replied.
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