Trump Suggests Zelenskyy “Won’t Be Around Very Long”

The Trump administration has halted military aid to Ukraine following a verbal exchange between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting at the Oval Office.

Trump implied that Zelenskyy’s tenure could be short-lived if progress is not made toward a ceasefire agreement with Russia. Without directly naming Zelenskyy, Trump warned that the Ukrainian leader “won’t be around very long” if a peace deal is not reached.

“It should not be that hard a deal to make. It could be made very fast,” Trump told reporters regarding a ceasefire. “Now, maybe somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, I think that person won’t be around very long.”

The comments came during an event at the White House with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) chief executive CC Wei. Trump criticized Zelenskyy for suggesting the war could continue for an extended period and called for more gratitude from the Ukrainian leader for the billions of dollars in military aid provided by the US.

Asked what conditions Zelenskyy must meet to restart negotiations, Trump responded, “He should be more appreciative because this country has stood by them through thick and thin. We’ve given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more because that’s their border. This country was the fence on the border, very important to Europe.”

Trump highlighted that the US had contributed USD 350 billion, while Europe had only provided around USD 100 billion. He added that Europe often provided aid as secured loans, implying that the US should adopt a similar approach.

Despite the financial considerations, Trump expressed a desire to end the bloodshed, stating, “I want all of those young people to stop being killed. They’re being killed by the thousands every week. Last week, 2,700 were killed – young boys from Ukraine and Russia. The money is one thing, but the death toll is devastating.”

In February, Zelenskyy indicated his willingness to step down as president in exchange for peace and NATO membership for Ukraine. Speaking to BBC News, Zelenskyy reiterated that his priority is Ukraine’s security rather than remaining in power.

“I am ready to step down for peace. If no peace, I am happy to step down in exchange for NATO for Ukraine. I am focused on security for Ukraine here and today, not on staying in power for decades,” Zelenskyy said.