Trump 'demands Zelenskyy sign peace deal by Christmas' as Ukrainian leader agrees to hold war-time elections
The US president said Europe is "decaying" due to mass migration as he accused leaders of "not knowing what to do"
Donald Trump has reportedly demanded that Ukraine agree a peace deal with Russia by Christmas after unleashing a furious tirade against President Zelenskyy - telling him to "get his act together".
Listen to this article
The Ukrainian president has told European counterparts that the US delegation in the peace talks, comprised of special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is pushing him to agree a compromise with Vladimir Putin's Russia.
A source told the Financial Times that the US president wants a peace deal agreed "by Christmas".
Zelenskyy has told the American envoys that he needed time to consult with European allies before responding to Trump's proposals.
“To be honest, the Americans are looking for a compromise today,” Zelenskyy told reporters in a briefing over WhatsApp on Monday evening.
Read more: Ukraine to present new peace plan to Trump's top team as Zelenskyy rules out handing land to Russia
Read more: Donald Trump approves Nvidia chip sales to 'vetted' Chinese customers
Western unity over Ukraine has fractured in recent days, as Mr Trump unleashed a rant against European nations on Monday.
Trump branded European leaders “weak” in a wide-ranging interview, adding that mass migration has caused Europe to “decay”.
He also blamed the continent’s leaders for failing to end the war in Ukraine.
“I think they are weak,” Mr Trump told POLITICO.
“But I also think that they want to be so politically correct.”
“I think they don’t know what to do. Europe doesn’t know what to do.”
The US President accused European leaders of “talking too much” and failing to deliver on the war in Ukraine, as he demanded Volodymyr Zelenskyy “get his act together.”
“Frankly, it wouldn’t have happened if I had been president—and it didn’t happen during my four years in office,” he said, echoing a point he has made on numerous occasions.
“I think if I weren’t president, we would have had World War III.”
He said Russia was in a “much better” position than Ukraine, as he accused Mr Zelenskyy of using the war to prevent elections taking place in Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky on Monday reiterated his opposition to ceding any territory, resisting US pressure for a compromise with Russia as he continues to rally European support for Kyiv.
In his interview, Mr Trump again suggested the Ukrainian leader accept the American proposal to hand over land to Russia and argued Moscow retained the “upper hand”.
“They’re using the war as an excuse not to hold an election,” he said.
“But they haven’t had an election in a long time. They talk about a democracy, but at some point, it ceases to be one.”
In response, Mr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to hold a wartime election within the next three months, if Ukraine’s parliament and foreign allies will allow it.
Irritated, Zelenskyy said votes were "a question for the people of Ukraine, not people from other states, with all due respect to our partners”.
However, he added: "Since this question is raised today by the president of the United States of America, our partners, I will answer very briefly: look, I am ready for elections.
"Moreover, I am asking … the United States to help me, possibly together with European colleagues, to ensure security for the elections, and then in the next 60 to 90 days Ukraine will be ready to hold the elections. I personally have the will and readiness for this."
In a final, stark warning to European leaders, Mr Trump said the US could cut its ties with Europe if countries fail to match his ideology.
Mr Trump said they would have to “change their ideology, obviously, because the people coming in have a totally different ideology.”
The US leader’s remarks broadly echo rhetoric included in America’s new national security strategy, which questioned whether some European nations could remain “reliable allies” long-term.