Trump criticizes Zelensky for saying the end of the war is 'very, very far away' and hits back: 'This guy doesn't want there to be peace'

US President Donald Trump on Monday again lashed out at his Ukrainian peer Volodymyr Zelensky following a tense meeting recently between the two leaders at the White House over the war between Ukraine and Russia, after which the European leader was expelled from the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States.

On his social network Truth Social, Trump shared a headline from an interview conducted with Zelensky by the news agency Associated Press, according to which the Ukrainian leader stated that the end of the war with Russia is "far, far away", and wrote: "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky [sic], and America will not put up with it for much longer!"

Trump also referred to the summit of European leaders in London, UK, in which Zelensky participated. "It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky [sic], stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US – Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?" he said.

Zelensky: "Peace is needed as soon as possible"

Later, in a statement posted on the social network X, Zelensky clarified his remarks. "It is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest [sic] possible," he said.

"We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns. We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security," he added.

The Ukrainian president remarked, "We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace. Peace is needed as soon as possible."