EditIn Reuters interview, Trump says it’s Zelenskyy, not Putin, holding up Ukraine peace deal
In a context of a brutal attrition war, the next fragile diplomatic episode is poised to unfold amid the snows of Davos
In an exclusive Oval Office interview with Reuters, U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rather than Russian President Vladimir Putin, is the primary obstacle to achieving a peace agreement in the ongoing Ukraine conflict – a stance that sharply diverges from the views of many European allies who maintain that Moscow shows no genuine interest in ending the war.
Trump indicated that Putin appears prepared to conclude Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, while portraying Zelenskyy as more hesitant. “I think he’s ready to make a deal,” Trump said regarding Putin. “I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal.”
When pressed on the reasons behind the stalled U.S.-led negotiations aimed at resolving Europe’s most significant land war since World War II, Trump succinctly replied: “Zelenskyy.”
This commentary reflects ongoing tensions in the historically turbulent relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy, which has seen periods of strain but some improvement during Trump’s second term in office. Trump has occasionally appeared more inclined to take Putin’s statements at face value compared to leaders in Kyiv, European capitals, and even some U.S. lawmakers from both parties, a tendency that has drawn criticism.
A December Reuters report highlighted U.S. intelligence assessments warning that Putin has not relinquished his ambitions to seize all of Ukraine and potentially reclaim territories from the former Soviet sphere in Europe.
At the time, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard contested those findings.
Recent U.S.-brokered talks have focused on establishing security assurances for a post-conflict Ukraine to prevent future Russian aggression. Broadly, American negotiators have encouraged Kyiv to cede the eastern Donbas region as part of any settlement with Moscow.
Ukrainian representatives have actively participated in these discussions, spearheaded on the U.S. side by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. However, some European officials have expressed skepticism about Putin’s willingness to accept terms recently negotiated among Kyiv, Washington, and European counterparts.
Trump told Reuters he was unaware of any impending trip to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner, as reported by Bloomberg earlier that day.
Regarding a potential meeting with Zelenskyy at the upcoming World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Trump expressed openness but noted no firm arrangements: “I would – if he’s there,” he said. “I’m going to be there.”
Elaborating on his view of Zelenskyy’s reluctance, Trump offered limited details, stating simply: “I just think he’s, you know, having a hard time getting there.”
Zelenskyy has consistently rejected any concessions of territory to Russia, arguing that Ukraine’s constitution prohibits surrendering land.
At the upcoming WEF in Davos (January 19–23, 2026), European leaders and G7 allies plan to press Trump for his personal endorsement of U.S.-backed security guarantees for a post-ceasefire Ukraine, while Ukraine hopes to finalize a major economic reconstruction deal worth around $800 billion to spur post-war recovery and potentially secure firmer American commitments as part of broader renegotiated peace efforts.
War of attrition – a particularly brutal phase
As of mid-January 2026, the Russia-Ukraine war has entered a particularly brutal phase, with winter weaponized as a tool of attrition. Russian forces are intensifying massive drone and missile barrages aimed squarely at Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, seeking to plunge millions into darkness and cold amid sub-zero temperatures.
In the nights leading up to 15 January, Russia launched some of its largest strikes of the new year. On 12-13 January alone, Ukrainian air defences reported intercepting most of nearly 300 drones (including many Shahed-type) and several ballistic and cruise missiles, but dozens still struck targets across eight regions. Energy generation facilities, substations, and thermal power plants in Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and others suffered severe damage. Hundreds of thousands of households in the Kyiv region were left without power, with emergency blackouts enforced and some apartment buildings remaining without heat for days.
Zelenskyy declared a state of emergency in the energy sector, warning that Russia is “going all in” to exploit the freezing weather and maximize civilian suffering. Repair crews work around the clock, but the cumulative toll is staggering: Ukraine’s available generating capacity has plummeted from pre-invasion levels to roughly 14 GW, resulting in prolonged outages and life-threatening conditions for civilians.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues its bold long-range campaign deep into Russian territory, demonstrating growing audacity and capability. Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted Russian defence-industrial sites, oil facilities, and energy assets. Recent strikes include hits on drone production facilities in Taganrog, fires at thermal power plants in Oryol, and attacks on oil tankers and offshore rigs in the Black and Caspian Seas. Ukrainian forces have also destroyed multiple high-value Russian air defence systems far behind the lines in occupied territories. These operations inflict significant economic and logistical damage, forcing Russia to divert resources to protect its rear areas.
This escalating tit-for-tat highlights the war’s grim symmetry: Russia aims to break Ukrainian resilience through winter hardship, while Ukraine responds with precision strikes that erode Moscow’s war machine from afar. Against this background, the diplomatic ballet orchestrated by the Trump administration – with mediation led by relatively inexperienced- offers scant hope for swiftly ending the nearly four-year war.
With Reuters, with additional reporting by g.g.
Caption: US President Donald Trump takes part in a signing ceremony in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 14 January 2026. Trump signed a bill allowing schools to serve whole and 2 percent milk. EPA/Francis Chung / POOL
Updated: January 15, 2026 - 10:48
