Trump sets terms for restarting discussions with Zelensky
US President Donald Trump has expressed his expectations regarding future interactions with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The US president insists he will only engage with a leader who “wants to end the bloodshed.”
President Donald Trump has communicated his conditions for future discussions with Vladimir Zelensky, highlighting that any further negotiations hinge on a definitive commitment to peace.
After a tense meeting with Zelensky at the White House on Friday, Trump accused the Ukrainian president of “overplaying his hand” and not showing a true willingness to resolve the conflict with Russia.
“We’re looking for peace,” Trump stated. “We’re not looking for somebody that’s going to sign up a strong power and then not make peace because they feel emboldened… He’s looking to go on and fight, fight, fight. We’re looking to end the deaths.”
Trump added, “You saw what I saw today. This is a man that wants to get us signed up and keep fighting. And we’re not doing that, not for this country."
He explained that ongoing US military support would only fortify Zelensky’s stance, making him less likely to pursue peace. “We’re not looking for somebody that’s going to sign up a strong power and then not make peace because they feel emboldened,” Trump reiterated. “We’re not looking to go into a 10-year war.”
The president emphasized that a ceasefire should be the immediate concern, implying Zelensky was hesitant to consider it. He contrasted Zelensky's approach with that of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he claimed appears more open to making peace, urging that US policy should prioritize de-escalation rather than extending the conflict.
When asked if he had directly told Zelensky to leave the White House, Trump sidestepped a direct response, stating, “I think you know the answer to that,” and noted that Zelensky “wants to come back right now, but I can’t do that.”
Summarizing his view, Trump made it clear that continued US support for Ukraine would depend on Zelensky taking tangible steps towards peace. “Let me tell you… you saw what I saw today. That was not a man that wanted to make peace,” he remarked. “And I’m only interested if he wants to end the bloodshed.”
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
President Donald Trump has communicated his conditions for future discussions with Vladimir Zelensky, highlighting that any further negotiations hinge on a definitive commitment to peace.
After a tense meeting with Zelensky at the White House on Friday, Trump accused the Ukrainian president of “overplaying his hand” and not showing a true willingness to resolve the conflict with Russia.
“We’re looking for peace,” Trump stated. “We’re not looking for somebody that’s going to sign up a strong power and then not make peace because they feel emboldened… He’s looking to go on and fight, fight, fight. We’re looking to end the deaths.”
Trump added, “You saw what I saw today. This is a man that wants to get us signed up and keep fighting. And we’re not doing that, not for this country."
He explained that ongoing US military support would only fortify Zelensky’s stance, making him less likely to pursue peace. “We’re not looking for somebody that’s going to sign up a strong power and then not make peace because they feel emboldened,” Trump reiterated. “We’re not looking to go into a 10-year war.”
The president emphasized that a ceasefire should be the immediate concern, implying Zelensky was hesitant to consider it. He contrasted Zelensky's approach with that of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he claimed appears more open to making peace, urging that US policy should prioritize de-escalation rather than extending the conflict.
When asked if he had directly told Zelensky to leave the White House, Trump sidestepped a direct response, stating, “I think you know the answer to that,” and noted that Zelensky “wants to come back right now, but I can’t do that.”
Summarizing his view, Trump made it clear that continued US support for Ukraine would depend on Zelensky taking tangible steps towards peace. “Let me tell you… you saw what I saw today. That was not a man that wanted to make peace,” he remarked. “And I’m only interested if he wants to end the bloodshed.”
Debra A Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
