Donald Trump. Photo: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images / Profimedia
Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he believes he has reached an agreement with both Vladimir Putin and Volodimir Zelenski to solve the Ukraine war, Reuters reports.
Speaking at the White House, Trump also said it was harder than expected to work with the Ukrainian leader.
“I think Russia is prepared and many people have said that Russia wanted to go to the end. And I think we have an agreement with Russia. We have to reach an agreement with Zelenski,” Trump told the Oval Office.
“I think we have an agreement with both of us”
“I thought it might be easier to get along with Zelenski. Until now, it was harder … But, I think we have an agreement with both of them. I hope to do it, because I am looking for savings and, you know, I spent a lot of money, but here is a lot of humanity,” said Trump.
Asked about an American proposal presented to Ukraine by which Crimea would be recognized as a Russian territory, Trump did not answer directly, saying he has no “preferences” between Ukraine and Russia and that he just wants the war to end.
Several sources have said that Trump's emission proposals, Steve Witkoff, include not only the recognition of Crimea annexation, but also accepting Russia's control over the 20% of the territory of Ukraine it has gained in the war, excluding Ukraine at NATO and raising Western sanctions.
Zelenski emphasized on Tuesday that Ukraine will never give up Crimea Russia, which took control of the peninsula in 2014, in an internationally condemned movement. “There is nothing to discuss here. This is against our Constitution,” he said.
Trump's people say something else about negotiations
Trump's latest statements seemed to contradict those of other high administration officials.
Just a few hours before, the spokesman of the White House, Karoline Leavitt, told the press that Trump is “frustrated” by the rhythm of the discussions and that Zelenski “seems to move in the wrong direction.”
Other administration officials said earlier during the day that an agreement remains uncertain and that the United States could give up peace negotiations in the absence of fast progress.
