As the war in Ukraine drags on, former President Donald Trump is turning up the heat, publicly pressuring Ukrainian leaders to sit down with Vladimir Putin and hash things out.
In a fiery message posted to his Truth Social account, Trump called on Ukraine to immediately agree to a proposed meeting with Russia in Turkey later this week.
Trump Says Putin Is Ready to Talk—But Ukraine Needs to Show Up
According to Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday in Turkey.
The goal? A potential breakthrough to end the war.
But Trump isn’t convinced Ukraine is even open to peace talks.
“Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,” he wrote in his post.
“At least they’ll find out if a deal is even on the table.”
The former president claimed Moscow isn’t interested in a ceasefire unless Kyiv steps up to the negotiating table.
Tensions Still Linger from Trump and Zelensky’s Oval Office Clash
This push for a meeting comes on the heels of a rather icy Oval Office encounter between Trump and Zelensky earlier this year.
The pair reportedly didn’t see eye-to-eye, and Trump hasn’t let it go.
Since retaking office, Trump has made it clear he’s not a fan of pouring billions into foreign wars—especially Ukraine.
He’s long been critical of the extensive aid sent during President Joe Biden’s term and seems reluctant to continue footing the bill if there’s no sign of an end in sight.
Trump Questions Ukraine’s Intentions—and Takes a Dig at Zelensky
Trump didn’t stop at calling for a meeting—he also questioned Zelensky’s willingness to make peace at all.
In a sarcastic swipe, he said Ukraine might never actually want to cut a deal with Putin, especially while the Russian leader is busy celebrating WWII victory anniversaries.
He didn’t mince words: “HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!” he demanded, echoing his signature all-caps urgency.
Trump Heads to the Middle East Amid Peace Talk Drama
Adding another twist to the geopolitical drama, Trump is set to visit the Middle East next week—his first trip to the region during his second term in office.
Whether that visit will factor into Ukraine-Russia diplomacy remains to be seen.
So far, it’s unclear how active a role Trump will take in facilitating any kind of agreement between the two nations, especially given the fallout from his earlier meeting with Zelensky.
Ukraine’s U.S. Ambassador Stresses Unity—Despite the Friction
Despite Trump’s public criticism, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova struck a diplomatic tone during a Sunday interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz.
She said that Ukraine remains committed to working with the U.S.—including with Trump.
“We’ll focus on the future,” Markarova said. She acknowledged there are differences between the two leaders but framed it as normal friction between allies.
“Sometimes friends can disagree,” she added, “but that’s a disagreement among friends.”