WASHINGTON — President Trump stated on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin "wants to make a deal more than [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky" to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This remark followed Zelensky's accusation that Putin had violated a recently established energy cease-fire. Trump asserted that he facilitated an agreement over the weekend for a limited truce, claiming that "there have been violations on both sides," while dismissing Zelensky's assertion that Putin was responsible for jeopardizing the agreement by targeting natural gas infrastructure.
"All I know is that Zelensky and Putin have to get together and end that ridiculous war. This month they lost 32,000 people in that war, and it’s ridiculous. So they have to get together and get it done," Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a campaign rally in Ohio.
He continued, "They agreed [to the energy cease-fire]. You know why? Because I said you agreed. That’s why. They agreed because I said they agreed, and that thing has to get settled."
Trump has recently criticized Zelensky, suggesting it is time for Ukraine to have a new president after Zelensky objected to a deal announced by Trump regarding the export of Russian diesel to the US. Zelensky had previously resisted Trump's calls to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries amid rising global diesel prices due to the conflict and the ongoing US-Iran war.
"I think they want to make a deal, but they don’t know how. But we’re going to get them to make a deal," Trump added. "[Putin] wants to make a deal, and we have to get Zelensky to want to make a deal… I think actually Putin wants to make a deal more than Zelensky."