President Donald Trump said Ukraine is losing the war and Russia has the upper hand, calling on President Volodymyr Zelensky to “get on the ball and start accepting things” in the peace negotiations.
“It’s not easy with Russia, because Russia has the upper hand. And they always did. They’re much bigger. They’re much stronger in that sense,” Trump told Politico.
“I give the people of Ukraine and the military of Ukraine tremendous credit for the bravery and for the fighting and all of that. But you know, at some point, size will win, generally.”
The peace process is currently stuck on territorial disputes, control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and the future architecture of Ukrainian security guarantees.
Russia is demanding that Ukraine cede the whole of the eastern Donbas region to it. But Zelensky said he has no legal or moral right to do so, and that the constitution forbids it without a referendum. Ukraine still controls around a fifth of the Donbas.
Trump also said it might be time for Ukraine to hold elections, though Kyiv says these cannot take place while the country is at war. Zelensky said he would hold elections soon after the war ended.
“I think it’s an important time to hold an election. They’re using war not to hold an election, but, uh, I would think the Ukrainian people should have that choice,” Trump said.
“And maybe Zelensky would win. I don’t know who would win. But they haven’t had an election in a long time. You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”
The U.S. leader also pressed Europe to do more to help Ukraine and fight back against Russia.
“Europe is not doing a good job in many ways. They’re not doing a good job,” Trump said.
“They talk too much. And they’re not producing. We’re talking about Ukraine. They talk but they don’t produce. And the war just keeps going on and on.”