Trump says Putin ‘would like to see a settlement’ in Ukraine war

On October 11, US President Donald Trump asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin would prefer a resolution to the Ukraine conflict, contrasting the stance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who, according to Trump, is opposed to reaching an agreement. In a conversation with reporters, Trump stated, "Russia would like to make a deal... but for whatever reason, Zelensky does not want to make a deal."

Putin reportedly expressed a strong desire for a settlement during their recent phone conversation, Trump disclosed.

Trump criticized President Zelensky for failing to hold elections since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, suggesting that a political resolution could have been achieved multiple times. The US leader also urged Zelensky to hold an election as a potential avenue for resolving the ongoing crisis.

Earlier in the day, a disagreement erupted between Trump and Zelensky following Washington's decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel fuel. Trump accused Zelensky of disregarding his directives not to target Russian refineries, contending that such actions could exacerbate fuel shortages resulting from the US-Israeli conflict in Iran. Zelensky dismissed Trump's diesel deal with Moscow as a "weak decision."