President Donald Trump on Monday commented on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s role in the war with Russia, suggesting that “somebody else” should lead negotiations for Ukraine. Speaking to reporters, Trump addressed his administration’s recent decision to waive certain sanctions against Russia, stating his objective is to end the conflict.
The remarks were made as Trump responded to questions regarding his foreign policy and recent statements from the Ukrainian president.
“I’m supporting stopping the war between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said. “Frankly, Zelenskyy is not helping matters much. I think he doesn’t want to stop it, but I want to see people not die.”
He added, “I think it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.”
The exchange followed a statement attributed to Zelenskyy, in which he said the U.S. president was on the “wrong side of history.” In response, Trump told reporters, “If he would have listened to me, he would have made a much better deal a long time ago, and he’d have a million people living from his side.”
During his comments, Trump stated that “a million people” had been killed on the Ukrainian side of the conflict. The exact number of casualties in the war is not publicly known, and estimates vary among sources. A July study published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that Ukrainian forces had sustained between 125,000 and 150,000 fatalities between February 2022 and June 2026. The same study estimated the Russian military had up to 450,000 deaths.
The United Nations reported in August that it had verified at least 16,874 civilian deaths in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, noting the actual figures are likely higher.
Trump’s statements followed his administration’s action last week to waive a package of sanctions on Russia. The president framed the decision as a step toward de-escalation.
These comments were made as a new Reuters poll indicated that 31% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in office. The poll also found that 47% of registered voters would choose Democrats and 35% would select Republicans if the midterm elections were held at the time of the survey.
