Trump says Zelenskiy made 'worst statement' about Ukraine war

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday over comments he made that a deal to end the war with Russia was not near.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump posted an Associated Press story headlined "Ukraine's Zelenskyy says end of war with Russia is 'very, very far away'".

"This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote, using an alternate spelling of Zelenskiy.

"This guy doesn't want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing."

Trump also took aim at European leaders who met Zelenskiy for crisis talks in London at the weekend, saying that they had "stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US".

"Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking," Trump said on his Truth Social network.

The comments follow Trump's public clash in the Oval Office with Zelenskiy on Friday before what was expected to be the signing of an agreement on Ukraine's rich natural resources.

The deal was never signed after Trump and his Vice President, JD Vance, assailed the visiting leader as lacking gratitude for US aid and being disrespectful.

Following Trump's outburst, the Ukrainian president said that the country had to engage in "substantive" diplomacy to bring to a rapid end the three-year-old war with Russia, and he hoped to be able to rely on US support in securing peace.

"It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible," Zelenskiy wrote on X.

"We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope for US support on the path to peace. Peace is needed as soon as possible."