Trump says Zelensky not needed for peace talks with Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not want to deal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming Zelensky is unwilling to negotiate with Russia, and dismissed Ukraine's defense of Kyiv as luck. Trump stated Zelensky is "not the person we should deal with" and suggested a peace deal would be made without him. He also blamed Barack Obama's presidency for the war and called Crimea "the most beautiful piece of land." Trump attributed Ukraine's successful defense of Kyiv in 2022 to weather conditions and a poor Russian general. He criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying they raise global oil prices, and argued Ukraine should concede to Russia due to Moscow's larger mobilization potential.