Trump again questions Zelensky as negotiator
The US president says Ukraine may need someone else to negotiate, while Kyiv warns of Russian attacks.
There is news on this story (Monday, 19 October 2026, 23:43): Zelensky calls US decisions difficult to understand
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Donald Trump has questioned the role of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a negotiator. According to Trump, Ukraine may need to appoint someone else to negotiate an end to the war, while Zelensky says the US approach is instead giving Russia room to manoeuvre.
Trump said on Monday that it might be time for Zelensky to let someone else negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf. The US president simultaneously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and repeated that he wants to end the war quickly. The remarks came at a time when Washington and Moscow have intensified their contacts.
The comments mark a new escalation in the public exchange of words between Trump and Zelensky. Trump accuses the Ukrainian leader of not genuinely wanting to reach a deal. Zelensky has previously denied this, saying that Ukraine does want peace but cannot accept an arrangement that rewards Russian occupation or fails to protect the country’s security adequately.
According to The Guardian, Trump earlier this month temporarily suspended a substantial package of sanctions against Russia. The US president has said he does not want to push Russia away from the negotiating table. Zelensky, by contrast, warns that easing pressure on Moscow could strengthen Russia’s war effort.
The Ukrainian president also said on Monday that the United States had not warned Kyiv in advance about recent Russian attacks on energy infrastructure around Kyiv. This adds to a broader dispute over how far US support for Ukraine should go and how much influence Washington should exert over Kyiv’s military strategy.
The precise diplomatic consequences of Trump’s statement are not yet clear. There is no public evidence that Ukraine plans to replace Zelensky as its negotiator. Nor has it been announced that a deal between Russia and Ukraine is imminent. The two sides remain fundamentally divided over territory, security guarantees and the conditions for a ceasefire.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Trump has again criticised Zelensky and said that Ukraine may need to appoint someone else to negotiate.
- Trump has spoken positively about Russian President Putin in public.
- Zelensky disputes that Ukraine is blocking peace and warns of the consequences of reducing pressure on Russia.
Left
Arguments The United States should not pressure Ukraine into accepting an arrangement reached under military coercion. According to this approach, a lasting peace requires protection of Ukrainian sovereignty and accountability for Russian aggression.
Values International law, protection of smaller states and human security.
Consequences According to this view, a deal reached too quickly could lead to a fragile ceasefire, renewed Russian pressure and a loss of confidence in Western security guarantees.
Centre
Arguments The war requires diplomacy, but negotiations must be credible and Ukraine must remain directly involved. The institutional approach emphasises coordination between the United States, Ukraine and European allies.
Values Alliance cooperation, predictability and a workable peace.
Consequences A compromise could limit casualties and costs, but only if security guarantees and monitoring of compliance are sufficiently strong.
Right
Arguments The United States must protect its own interests and prevent support for Ukraine from becoming unlimited. From this perspective, direct pressure on Kyiv may be necessary to force negotiations and prevent further escalation.
Values National responsibility, military restraint and a swift end to a costly conflict.
Consequences A hard-line US approach could lead to an agreement, but it could also put relations with European allies and confidence in American guarantees under pressure.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is confirmed by two recent public sources. Statements about a possible replacement and a peace deal are explicitly presented as unconfirmed.
- confirmed Trump said that Zelensky may need to let someone else negotiate. — The Guardian describes Trump’s new remarks. source
- confirmed Trump temporarily suspended a package of sanctions against Russia. — The Guardian reports that Trump put a package of sanctions on hold. source
- confirmed Zelensky says Washington did not warn Kyiv in advance about Russian attacks on power plants. — This appears in The Guardian’s overview of 19 October. source
Editor's note
It is certain that Trump made the remarks and that Zelensky is critical of the US approach. A replacement for Zelensky as negotiator or an impending peace deal has not been confirmed.Sources
The story so far
- Monday, 19 October 2026, 22:43 Trump again questions Zelensky as negotiator (this article)
- Monday, 19 October 2026, 23:43 Zelensky calls US decisions difficult to understand
More on this in Dutch media
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