Donald Trump has criticized the Ukrainian president once again, just four days after a heated on-camera confrontation between the two.
The US president took to Truth Social to say that Volodymyr Zelenskyy made “the worst statement that could have been made” by suggesting that the end of the war with Russia is “very, very far away”.
“America will not tolerate it for much longer!” Mr Trump stated.
Live updates: Trump criticizes Zelenskyy again
“It is as I suspected, this guy doesn’t desire peace as long as he has the backing of America,” the president remarked.
Mr Zelenskyy responded by stating that Ukraine is “collaborating with America and our European partners and greatly relies on US support for peace”.
“We need peace as soon as possible,” he reiterated.
Following yesterday’s Ukraine summit in London, Mr Trump also appeared to take aim at Mr Zelenskyy and Europe, claiming that leaders asserted they cannot do their job without the US.
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The Ukraine summit: How the day unfolded
“What are they thinking?” Mr Trump questioned.
However, during a press conference at the White House hours later, Mr Trump praised Europe, commending its leaders for acting well.
“We’re going to make deals with everybody… including Europe and European nations – and they’ve acted very well… they’re good people,” he stated.
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He informed reporters that the deal with Ukraine was not dead despite the ongoing disagreements between himself and Mr Zelenskyy.
Donald Trump speaking to reporters on Monday night. Pic: Reuters
“It’s a great deal for us,” he remarked.
“I just think he [President Zelenskyy] should be more appreciative.”
Mr Zelenskyy maintained that a deal to end the war was still “very, very far away”, expressing his expectation to continue receiving US support despite the public disagreement between the two leaders.
“I believe our relationship with the US will endure because it goes beyond just a casual relationship,” the Ukrainian president concluded.
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Sky News meets Zelenskyy: The key moments
Despite the tense exchange leading to Mr Zelenskyy being asked to leave the White House, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage informed Sky News’s chief political correspondent Jon Craig that the confrontation might have been a beneficial wake-up call for Zelenskyy.
“Zelenskyy needed a reality check,” said Mr Farage.
“And since that meeting, he has come to understand that, by the way, I’m informed by sources within the White House that before leaving the premises, Zelenskyy wanted to return and finalize the deal.”
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Pro-Ukrainian protesters gather in London
Mr Zelenskyy was in London over the weekend to meet with Sir Keir Starmer and King Charles and participate in a European summit on Ukraine hosted by the UK.
Following the summit, Sir Keir announced a “coalition of the willing” to potentially deploy troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Read more: The ‘coalition of the willing’ – who’s in, who’s out?
US secretary of state Marco Rubio extended his gratitude to Foreign Secretary David Lammy for “the UK’s role in encouraging Europe to provide for its own defense and advocating for peace in Ukraine”, as relayed by US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
“The secretary affirmed that the United States is prepared to negotiate for the resolution of the Ukraine-Russia conflict and will continue collaborating with the UK towards peace in Ukraine,” she affirmed.