WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump stated Monday that he is prepared to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to explore ending the war in Ukraine, while sharpening his verbal attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Speaking to reporters before leaving the White House for a political rally in Kansas, Trump indicated that such high-level discussions could take place without Zelenskyy participating. The Russian president reportedly floated the concept during an Oct. 9 telephone call with Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported, with the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, on Nov. 18 and Nov. 19 viewed as a possible venue.
“Anything I can do to end the war, whether somebody’s there or not,” Trump said, according to CNBC. He added that if Xi agrees to a session, he would join, noting that the leaders would likely address trade issues alongside the ongoing conflict.
Rift Deepens Between Washington and Kyiv
Trump’s remarks reflect mounting friction between Washington and Kyiv as the White House softens measures against Moscow. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but Trump asserted Monday that “Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine. They haven’t been doing much,” while downplaying concerns over Chinese and Russian assistance to Iran.
When questioned about Zelenskyy’s recent criticism regarding waived U.S. sanctions against Moscow, Trump responded aggressively. “Zelenskyy doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Trump said, CNBC reported. “Zelenskyy is a man that should have had this war settled a long time ago.”
Trump reiterated his past suggestion that Ukraine consider new leadership, adding, “I think it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.”
Disrupted Communications and Intelligence
Earlier Monday, Zelenskyy spoke with a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers and raised alarms over degraded communications and diminished intelligence sharing. The Ukrainian president said SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield services had suffered operational slowdowns, hindering frontline capabilities and cutting off early warnings regarding incoming Russian bombardments.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Washington had offered no official explanation for the slowdowns or the drop in shared intelligence, according to CNBC. Trump told reporters he did not know who issued the directive affecting Starlink but noted he intended to investigate.
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk stated last week that the U.S. government and Trump bear ultimate responsibility for service reductions. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed claims that the administration orchestrated any disruption, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Zelenskyy to exercise caution regarding unsubstantiated claims.
Bipartisan Lawmakers Push Back
Zelenskyy also showed congressional members photographs of a recent Russian strike in the Kharkiv region that killed six people, among them a mother and her 1-year-old child. He argued that such violence illustrates Moscow’s response to loosened economic pressure.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill voiced sharp concern over the administration’s trajectory. Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., released a joint statement denouncing steps that weaken Ukrainian defense capabilities. “Funding Russia’s war machine, disabling Ukraine’s satellite communications, and crippling its air defense are all impediments to peace,” the senators said, warning that appeasing Putin would merely prolong the conflict and increase casualties.
Trump also faced scrutiny across both parties after permitting Russia to sell diesel fuel on international markets despite existing sanctions. Defending the move, Trump insisted he is focused on preserving ongoing diplomatic channels with Moscow concerning Ukraine, Iran, fuel supplies and detained Americans.
Whether the proposed three-way summit in Shenzhen will materialize remains unconfirmed, with Beijing and Moscow yet to formally announce plans for the gathering.
