WASHINGTON – A senior official at the White House remarked on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s mounting criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signifies the administration’s escalating frustration with what they perceive as obstacles being posed by the Ukrainian leader in the pursuit of resolving Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The statement from national security adviser Mike Waltz followed Trump labeling Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and cautioning him that he “better move fast” to achieve a negotiation to end the conflict, or else risk the existence of his nation. Zelenskyy had previously stated that Trump was trapped in a Russian-influenced “disinformation space” earlier that Wednesday.
“Trump’s frustration with President Zelenskyy is rooted in multiple issues,” Waltz stated during a press briefing on Thursday. “It is crucial to acknowledge the contributions made by American taxpayers and what President Trump accomplished during his initial term. Some of the commentary coming from Kyiv, along with their insults directed at President Trump, have been intolerable.”
When asked if Trump regards Russian President Vladimir Putin as a dictator or whether he believes Zelenskyy or Putin bears greater responsibility for the ongoing war, Waltz did not provide a clear answer. The intensifying rhetoric comes just days ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s military actions against Ukraine and coincides with a significant shift in U.S. diplomacy toward both nations since the Trump administration began. Trump has been advocating for a peace agreement between the two countries while criticizing Zelenskyy for supposedly permitting the conflict to arise, avoiding the mention of Putin’s order to invade.
Waltz also expressed that Trump was irritated by Zelenskyy’s dismissal of a proposal made by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent the previous week, which would have provided the U.S. access to Ukraine’s vital mineral resources as compensation for its backing throughout the war and for future assistance to Ukraine.
American officials presented this offer during a meeting between Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy in Munich shortly after the discussion between Bessent and Zelenskyy. However, Zelenskyy instructed his ministers not to approve the agreement, believing it did not offer adequate security assurances for Ukraine and was overly focused on U.S. interests.
“Instead of engaging in constructive dialogue about the future of that deal, we received an unfortunate amount of critical rhetoric in the media,” noted Waltz regarding the Ukrainian leadership’s decision to reject the American proposal.
This week, Trump suggested that Ukraine bore some responsibility for instigating the conflict, even though the nation was invaded by Russia in February 2022. When inquired whether Trump viewed Putin or Zelenskyy as more accountable for the drawn-out war, Waltz provided an evasive response.
“His aim is to conclude this war, period,” Waltz commented, referencing Trump. “Ongoing combat continues on both sides, resembling the trench warfare characteristic of World War I.”
This exchange of statements unfolds amidst escalating tensions between the two leaders and rising apprehensions in numerous European capitals regarding the Trump administration’s renewed interactions with Russia.
To facilitate initial discussions, Trump dispatched Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Waltz to Saudi Arabia, where they engaged Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s foreign affairs advisor, Yuri Ushakov.
Zelenskyy, along with several European leaders, criticized Trump for conducting these talks without the presence of Ukrainian or European representatives.
