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Donald Trump said he finds Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky harder to negotiate with than Vladimir Putin, and called himself “not a big fan” of Zelensky. In a Newsmax interview, Trump also criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and questioned whether Zelensky retains public support, while saying he believes the war will end soon.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he finds Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky harder to deal with than Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticizing Zelensky’s willingness to negotiate and saying he is “not a big fan” of the Ukrainian leader in an interview with Newsmax. Trump also condemned Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries and questioned whether Zelensky still has public support, comments that come amid disputes over a proposed energy-sector truce.
“I find Zelenskyy to be more difficult to deal with than Putin,” Trump said in the interview, according to Meduza’s report. He described Zelensky as “not a good guy for us to deal with” and said the Ukrainian president claims to want a settlement but does not. Those are Trump’s assessments; the interview report does not provide independent evidence for his characterization of Zelensky’s position, which has also been discussed amid Zelensky’s criticism of Trump’s diesel deal.
Trump again objected to Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries, saying they were pushing up global fuel prices, amid broader disputes over Russian diesel supplies. He called the strikes “a disgrace” and argued Ukraine had other possible targets. The report does not establish the scale of any price effect or offer supporting figures for Trump’s claim.
Trump also argued that Ukraine should hold an election and questioned whether Zelensky retains public backing while the country is at war, echoing his calls for Ukraine to choose a new president. Ukraine has not held elections under martial law. Trump said he believes the war will “end soon,” arguing that both sides want it to stop, but added that the hostility between Putin and Zelensky makes an agreement difficult. No new agreement or timetable for ending the war was announced in the interview.
Trump’s Remarks Complicate U.S. Messaging
The comments matter because they set out Trump’s public view of the two leaders as he discusses negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. His comparison places more blame on Zelensky’s negotiating approach, while his criticism of Ukrainian attacks and call for elections touch on sensitive questions about Kyiv’s wartime policy and political legitimacy.
Trump’s remarks also come amid disagreement over whether the two sides had reached an understanding to pause attacks on energy infrastructure. That dispute could affect expectations for any negotiations, but the interview alone does not show a change in U.S. policy, a new diplomatic initiative, or a shift in military support. The remarks are a statement of the president’s position, not evidence that Ukraine or Russia has accepted his account.
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Recent Dispute Over Energy Truce
Trump’s comments follow a sequence of statements and disputes about energy supplies and attacks. On October 9, Trump agreed with Putin on supplies of Russian diesel fuel to American and global markets, a decision criticized by Ukraine and European countries, Meduza reported.
On October 11, Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an energy-sector truce. Zelensky said the announcement “came as news” to him. On October 15, Zelensky said Ukraine had refrained from striking Russian oil refineries for three days but would resume attacks because, in Kyiv’s view, Russia had not observed the truce. Russian authorities, by contrast, have claimed Ukraine never stopped its strikes. These accounts remain in conflict in the source report.
Ukraine is under martial law during the war, and elections have not been held. Trump’s renewed call for a vote does not change that status, and the interview report does not describe any Ukrainian decision to schedule an election.
“The announced energy truce “came as news” to him.”
— Volodymyr Zelensky, responding to Trump’s October 11 announcement, as reported by Meduza
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Truce Terms and Talks Remain Unclear
The interview report does not provide details of a formal energy-truce agreement, including its terms, monitoring arrangements, or whether both governments accepted the same conditions. Zelensky’s response to Trump’s announcement and the conflicting accounts of refinery strikes leave the status of any pause disputed.
It is also unclear what Trump meant by saying the war could end “soon,” since he gave no date, negotiating framework, or description of steps that would produce a settlement. His doubts about Zelensky’s public support were not accompanied by polling or other evidence in the report. The interview does not establish whether Trump’s remarks signal a change in U.S. policy.
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Watch for Official Responses
The next developments to watch are statements from the White House, Kyiv and Moscow clarifying the status of any energy-sector pause and whether diplomatic discussions are under way. Further information could establish whether the sides have agreed to shared terms or whether attacks on energy infrastructure are continuing.
No election date or new peace-negotiation milestone was announced in the reported interview. Until officials provide additional details, Trump’s remarks are best understood as his public assessment of the leaders and the conflict, rather than confirmation of a negotiated settlement or a change in Ukraine’s election plans.
energy infrastructure protest gear
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Key Questions
What did Trump say about Zelensky and Putin?
Trump said he finds Zelensky more difficult to deal with than Putin and said he is “not a big fan” of the Ukrainian president.
Why did Trump criticize Ukraine’s refinery strikes?
Trump said the attacks were driving up global fuel prices and called them “a disgrace.” The interview report did not provide figures to verify the claimed price effect.
Did Ukraine and Russia agree to an energy truce?
Trump announced on October 11 that they had agreed to one, but Zelensky said the announcement came as news to him. The source report also describes conflicting claims about whether Ukraine halted refinery strikes.
Why have elections not been held in Ukraine?
Ukraine has not held elections while under martial law during the war. Trump questioned whether Zelensky retains public support, but the report cites no polling or election schedule.
Did Trump announce a new peace deal or timeline?
No. Trump said he believes the war will end soon, but he announced no agreement, negotiating framework or specific timetable in the interview.
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