Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that Kyiv is obstructing peace talks with Russia, insisting that Ukraine “has never been and will never be an obstacle to peace.” Zelenskyy pointed to continued Russian missile strikes on civilian infrastructure as proof that Moscow—not Kyiv—is prolonging the war.
The rebuttal follows Trump’s January 15 interview with Reuters, in which he claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin is “ready to make a deal,” while describing Ukraine as “less ready.” When asked why negotiations have stalled, Trump responded simply: “Zelenskyy.”
Kremlin Echoes Trump as Europe Pushes Back
The Kremlin quickly backed Trump’s claim, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling reporters, “Yes, we can agree with it, it’s indeed so,” adding that Ukraine’s “decision-making corridor is narrowing.”
European leaders, however, strongly disputed that framing. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted on X that “it is Russia who rejected the peace plan prepared by the U.S., not Volodymyr Zelenskyy.” He added that Moscow’s response had been “further missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.”
Visiting Kyiv on January 16, Czech President Petr Pavel acknowledged that Ukraine faces “painful concessions” but stressed that Kyiv has already shown readiness to compromise. “Ukraine has done a lot to make the proposed solution acceptable,” he said alongside Zelenskyy, warning that “Russia will reject any deal until we start putting pressure together.”
Energy Crisis Highlights Ukraine’s Position
Zelenskyy tied his criticism of Moscow to the ongoing humanitarian and energy crisis within Ukraine. “When Ukrainians are left without power for 20–30 hours because of Russia, and when Russian strikes are aimed at breaking our energy system and our people, it is Russia that must be put under pressure,” he said in his nightly address on Thursday.
Ukraine has declared an energy state of emergency as temperatures drop below –19°C in parts of the country. In Kyiv alone, hundreds of apartment buildings remain without heating due to repeated strikes on power infrastructure. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal told parliament Friday that “not a single power plant left in Ukraine has escaped the enemy’s assault.”
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
Despite the escalating rhetoric, diplomatic engagement continues. Zelenskyy confirmed that a Ukrainian delegation will travel to Washington next week for talks on security guarantees and a post-war recovery plan, with the potential signing of agreements at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“In general, it’s clear that the U.S. wants to end the war tomorrow. And we want to do it today,” Zelenskyy said during the joint press conference with Pavel. “The delay in ending the war comes entirely from Russia.”
According to a recent report from the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, “the Kremlin has been delaying the peace process for months to prolong the conflict and pursue Russia’s original war aims through military means.”
