Trump explodes at Zelensky for not accepting peace deal as he warns Putin ‘has the upper hand’

Donald Trump has erupted at Volodymyr Zelensky for not accepting his Ukraine peace deal and warned that Russia has the ‘upper hand’ in the war.

The President said that the Ukrainian leader needs to ‘get his act together and start accepting things.’

Trump also issued withering criticism for America’s ‘weak’ European allies, accusing them of ‘talking too much’ while ‘not delivering’ peace for the Ukrainian people.

‘I think they’re weak,’ the commander-in-chief told Politico in an interview. ‘But I also think that they want to be so politically correct.’

‘I think they don’t know what to do,’ he added. ‘Europe doesn’t know what to do.’

Trump last month ratcheted pressure on Zelensky and Vladimir Putin as he unveiled a 28-point peace plan, modeled on his landmark Gaza deal.

However, the plan faces significant hurdles, particularly concerning Ukraine’s potential territorial concessions to Russia and measures to protect against future military action.

When pressed on whether Kyiv or Moscow holds greater leverage at the negotiating table, Trump was unequivocal: ‘There can be no doubt about that. It’s Russia. It’s a much bigger country.’

Donald Trump thrashes his European allies in an interview with Politico on Monday night

European leaders Volodymyr Zelensky, Sir Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron after a meeting in London on December 8

Regarding Zelensky, who announced plans to submit a revised peace proposal today with ‘obvious anti-Ukraine points’ eliminated, Trump issued a blunt directive: ‘He’s going to have to get on the ball and start accepting things.’

The President expressed mixed views on Europe’s handling of the crisis, stating he appreciates the ‘current crew’ of leaders but accused them of failing the people dying in the conflict.

The war is set to mark its fourth year in February, with credible estimates suggesting approximately 400,000 to 500,000 military and civilian deaths on both sides.

‘They talk too much. And they’re not delivering. We’re talking about Ukraine. They talk, but they’re not delivering. And the war just keeps going and going.’

Trump also addressed recent remarks from his eldest son, Don Jr, who indicated the President might walk away from Ukraine if the current talks fail to achieve peace.

‘That’s not true. But it’s not entirely wrong either,’ Trump clarified. ‘We have to … you know, they have to play along. If they don’t read the agreements, the potential agreements, then it’s not going to be easy with Russia, because Russia has the advantage, the upper hand.’

Trump said in the Monday night interview that he had presented an updated draft peace plan that has received positive feedback from certain Ukrainian officials, though Zelensky himself has apparently not yet examined it.

‘It would be nice if he would read it,’ Trump said.

It comes as Ukraine is set to present a revised 20-point peace plan to the US on Tuesday.

Kyiv is under pressure from the White House to agree swiftly to a peace settlement, while desperately trying to counterbalance a US-backed draft proposal that has been widely viewed as favorable to Moscow.

A hastily convened summit on Monday in London, hosted by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and attended by Zelensky, France’s Emmanuel Macron, as well as German chancellor Friedrich Merz, was designed to strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating hand.

Rescuers working at the site of the overnight Russian missile and drone strikes in the Poltava region of Ukraine on December 7

Firefighters working to extinguish a fire following a Russian drone and missile attacks to industrial and energy infrastructures in the Poltava region, on December 7

Putin has repeatedly denied that he has any plans to attack NATO and has said that such a step would be foolish for Russia, given the block’s conventional military superiority over Russia

Speaking after the meeting, Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine’s revised plan contains 20 points, but admitted that the biggest issue – surrendering territory – remains unresolved.

‘The mood of the Americans, in principle, is for finding a compromise,’ he said. ‘Of course, there are complex issues related to the territory, and a compromise has not yet been found there’.

He again insisted that Ukraine could not give up any of its land.

The European powers are pushing for US security guarantees to deter future Russian attacks, following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The publication of an American ceasefire plan last month has sharpened fears in Europe that Ukraine could be forced into accepting sweeping Russian demands, potentially destabilizing the entire continent.

Despite US officials claiming they are at the final stage of an agreement, there has been little sign that either side is ready to sign off on the framework drawn up by Trump’s negotiators.

‘We stand with Ukraine and, if there was to be a ceasefire, it has to be a just and lasting ceasefire,’ Sir Keir said after welcoming the leaders to Downing Street.