U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he departs the White House on Oct. 19, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Finn Gomez | Getty Images
President Donald Trump said Monday that he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss how to end the Ukraine war, while criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump suggested that a meeting between the world leaders, which Putin reportedly proposed, could take place without Zelenskyy present.
"Anything I can do to end the war, whether somebody's there or not," Trump told reporters when asked about the potential meeting as he departed the White House for a campaign rally in Kansas.
Trump also said that Russia and China, which have been accused of supporting Iran in its ongoing military efforts against the U.S., have both done "very little" for Tehran.
When asked about Zelenskyy's criticism of Trump's recent decision to waive new sanctions against Russia — and his recent claim that Trump is the wrong side of history — the U.S. president once again lashed out at the Ukrainian leader.
"Zelenskyy doesn't know what he's talking about," Trump said. "Zelenskyy is a man that should have had this war settled a long time ago."
"I think it's time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine," Trump added, echoing his prior call for Kyiv to "get a new president."
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