Kremlin claims Zelenskyy lacks political will to halt war, echoing Trump

The Kremlin has echoed President Donald Trump's criticism of Ukraine's leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, claiming the Ukrainian president lacks the political will to end the ongoing war. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow sees no readiness for concessions in Kyiv, implying that Zelenskyy is unwilling to make difficult decisions to halt the conflict.

This echoes Trump's comments, made in a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 9, where he suggested that a new Ukrainian president would be more effective in resolving the crisis. The Kremlin's stance follows a series of escalating tensions between the US and Ukraine, with Trump brokered a deal to supply Russian diesel fuel to American and global markets in exchange for the premature lifting of the export ban.

Zelenskyy accused the White House of weakness, while Trump accused Kyiv of refusing to end the conflict. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha dismissed foreign calls for political change, asserting that the Ukrainian people have democratically chosen their president.