U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Ukraine, not Russia, is responsible for delaying a possible peace deal to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. In an exclusive interview with Reuters at the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to end the conflict, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is less willing to move forward with negotiations.

Trump’s remarks differ sharply from the views of many European allies, who have repeatedly said that Russia has shown little genuine interest in ending the war. The conflict, which began nearly four years ago, is considered Europe’s largest land war since World War Two.

“I think he’s ready to make a deal,” Trump said about Putin. He then added, “I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal.”

When asked directly why U.S.-led negotiations have so far failed to bring an end to the war, Trump gave a one-word answer: “Zelenskiy.”

The comments reflect Trump’s growing frustration with the Ukrainian leader. Trump and Zelenskiy have had a volatile relationship over the years, although their interactions appeared to improve during Trump’s first year back in office. Despite this, Trump has often been more willing to accept assurances from Putin than leaders of some U.S. allies, a stance that has caused frustration in Kyiv, several European capitals, and among U.S. lawmakers, including members of Trump’s own Republican Party.

In December, Reuters reported that U.S. intelligence assessments continued to warn that Putin had not given up his broader ambitions. According to those reports, Putin still aims to capture all of Ukraine and reclaim parts of Europe that once belonged to the former Soviet empire. At the time, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard publicly disputed that assessment.

Trump’s latest comments come as negotiations continue to move slowly. In recent weeks, talks led by the United States have focused on security guarantees for Ukraine after the war, with the goal of preventing Russia from invading again if a peace deal is reached. As part of these discussions, U.S. negotiators have broadly pushed Ukraine to give up its eastern Donbas region as part of any agreement with Russia.

Ukrainian officials have been closely involved in the talks. On the U.S. side, negotiations have been led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. However, some European officials have expressed doubts that Putin would agree to some of the terms that have recently been discussed by Kyiv, Washington, and European leaders.

Earlier on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Witkoff and Kushner might soon travel to Moscow. Trump told Reuters that he was not aware of any such upcoming trip.

When asked whether he would meet Zelenskiy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week, Trump said a meeting was possible but not confirmed. “I would — if he’s there,” Trump said. “I’m going to be there.”

Trump was also asked why he believes Zelenskiy is holding back from reaching a deal. He did not go into detail and offered only a brief explanation. “I just think he’s, you know, having a hard time getting there,” Trump said.

Zelenskiy, for his part, has repeatedly and publicly rejected any idea of giving up Ukrainian territory. He has said that Kyiv has no legal right under Ukraine’s constitution to surrender any part of its land to Russia.

Trump’s statements underline a clear difference in how the U.S. president views the current state of negotiations compared to many of America’s allies. While Trump maintains that Putin is prepared to end the war, scepticism remains among European leaders and parts of the U.S. government about Russia’s true intentions.