Trump promised peace in a day, now he’s pointing fingers as talks fall apart

President Donald Trump is blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for stalled U.S.-led peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Asked directly what was blocking progress, Trump offered a single-word response, naming Zelensky, as shared by Yahoo News. The remarks mark a sharp turn as Washington’s diplomatic push has failed to gain traction.

At the same time, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to conclude the nearly four-year conflict, arguing that Ukraine is less willing to compromise. The Kremlin quickly echoed Trump’s assessment, aligning with his view that Moscow is ready for an agreement. European allies, however, have long pushed back on that narrative, saying Russia is using talks to buy time while continuing its military campaign.

The comments also revive Trump’s earlier pledge to end the war in a single day if he returned to office. This promise set high expectations for a rapid diplomatic breakthrough, but nothing seems to be happening.

Blaming Kyiv as diplomacy stalls

Recent negotiations have centered on post-ceasefire security guarantees for Ukraine, with U.S. officials urging Kyiv to consider territorial concessions as part of a broader agreement. Those discussions have focused in particular on the eastern Donbas region, which American negotiators suggested Ukraine might relinquish to secure a deal with Russia. This dynamic has echoes in how the Trump administration just got handed a diplomatic setback when a NATO ally announced military drills.

Zelensky has repeatedly rejected any proposal involving territorial concessions, saying Ukraine’s constitution bars surrendering sovereign land. That stance has made Donbas the central sticking point in talks, complicating efforts to reach a compromise acceptable to both sides. At the same time, RFK Jr. just fired multiple medical experts, signaling bold shifts within the U.S. government.

Tensions between the two leaders are not new. In March of last year, talks unraveled after a public clash in the Oval Office over a proposed agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. Zelensky left Washington without signing the deal, and the Trump administration briefly paused military assistance and intelligence sharing before restoring both the following month.

Developments on the battlefield have further undercut claims that peace is close. Russian forces have continued offensive operations, including a mid-January hypersonic Oreshnik missile strike near the EU border that damaged infrastructure in Ukraine’s Lviv region.

Western officials condemned that strike as a serious escalation, and Ukrainian authorities also reported large-scale missile and drone attacks on cities and energy infrastructure in December that caused widespread damage and injuries while negotiations were ongoing.