Trump says Putin ‘would like to see a settlement’ in Ukraine war
U.S. President Donald Trump claims that Vladimir Putin is eager to reach a settlement in the Ukraine war, while criticizing Volodymyr Zelenskyy for resisting negotiations. Trump also expressed disapproval of Ukraine's lack of elections and recent strikes on Russian refineries.
Why it matters
This reflects a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy rhetoric, signaling potential changes in diplomatic support for Ukraine and the ongoing conflict with Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday (October 10, 2026) that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would like to reach a deal on the war with Ukraine, accusing leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy of resisting a compromise.
“Russia would like to make a deal... but for whatever reason, Mr. Zelenskyy does not want to make a deal,” Mr. Trump told reporters.
“President Putin would like to see a settlement, strongly,” Mr. Trump said of what the Russian leader told him Friday (October 9, 2026) when the pair spoke on the phone.
Mr. Trump criticised the Ukrainian President for not holding an election since Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2022.
“I think he should have an election and he could have settled this thing many times,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelenskyy traded barbs Saturday (October 10, 2026) after Washington moved to ease sanctions on Russian diesel.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in