Trump Says 'Little Bit Disappointed' Zelenskyy Hasn't Read US Peace Proposal On Ukraine War

Last Updated:December 08, 2025, 06:57 IST

Donald Trump said he was “a little disappointed” that President Zelenskyy has not yet read the latest US peace proposal, suggesting Kyiv is slowing down negotiations.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump (Photo: AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Monday voiced frustration over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s response to Washington’s latest peace proposal, saying he was “a little disappointed" that the Ukrainian leader had not yet reviewed the plan.

This came after Zelenskyy publicly underscored that any peace must be grounded in strong international pressure on Russia.

Speaking to reporters at the Kennedy Center Honors, Trump said negotiations had been underway with both Moscow and Kyiv but signalled that he was dissatisfied with Zelenskyy’s pace of engagement.

“So we’ve been speaking to President Putin, and we’ve been speaking to Ukrainian leaders, including President Zelenskyy, and I have to say that I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelenskyy hasn’t yet read the proposal, as of a few hours ago," Trump said.

He added that Russia appeared more receptive to the framework than Ukraine’s leadership.

“Russia’s fine with it. But I am not sure that Zelenskyy is fine with it. His people love it. But he is not ready," Trump said, suggesting that the delay in Kyiv’s response was complicating Washington’s mediation effort.

Prior to Trump’s statement, Zelenskyy, in an X post, reiterated Ukraine’s core position, that peace must be “dignified" and cannot be separated from both accountability for Russia’s ongoing attacks and coordinated pressure from Ukraine’s Western partners.

“Ukraine deserves a dignified peace, and whether there will be peace depends entirely on Russia, on our collective pressure on Russia and on the sound negotiating positions of the United States, Europe, and all our other partners," he wrote.

“Russia must be held accountable for what it is doing, for the daily strikes, for the constant terror against our people, and for the war itself."

In a video address with the post, Zelenskyy described the recent talks with US representatives, including Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as substantive but challenging.

“Representatives of Ukraine have recently held substantive talks with representatives of the President of the United States of America. I thank them for their willingness to work together," he said.

“It was a constructive conversation, although not easy. We will continue to work," he mentioned.

He added that Ukraine awaited a full briefing from Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and General Staff Chief Andrei Gnatov, who were meeting European counterparts.

Zelenskyy said he expected “detailed information about the nuances that are ready to modify the Americans in negotiations, with us, with the Russians."

Despite Trump signalling that Moscow had reacted more favourably to Washington’s latest draft, Zelenskyy emphasised that sustainable peace demanded unity among Ukraine’s allies.

“It depends on the correct negotiating positions of the United States of America, of Europe and all our other partners," he said, adding that peace could only be achieved if Russia is “responsible for what it does."

The Ukrainian leader also stressed the need for internal resilience, pointing to new decisions aimed at strengthening combat brigades and expanding training for new soldiers.

He closed his message by thanking local communities and reiterating that Ukraine’s resolve, both domestically and internationally, remained central to its negotiating power.

News world Trump Says 'Little Bit Disappointed' Zelenskyy Hasn't Read US Peace Proposal On Ukraine War

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