In a major shift in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, US President Donald Trump has claimed that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has changed his stance and is now open to negotiating a peace deal with Moscow. Trump stated that this turnaround followed high-level US-Ukraine discussions in Saudi Arabia, where a temporary ceasefire proposal was formulated. The claim marks a significant development in the war, particularly given the previous reluctance of Ukraine to engage in such negotiations without explicit security guarantees.

During a press briefing at the White House on March 12, Trump asserted that Zelensky’s government was now willing to pursue peace talks, placing the onus on Russia to reciprocate. “As you know, I’ve always said that Ukraine might have been the more difficult party. You saw – you were here a week ago – when some interesting things happened,” Trump remarked, alluding to a heated exchange with Zelensky during the Ukrainian leader’s visit to Washington.

During that meeting, tensions flared between the two heads of state, with Trump openly chastising Zelensky for his perceived lack of gratitude toward US support. The exchange reportedly concluded with Zelensky being asked to leave the Oval Office prematurely. Shortly thereafter, Washington suspended military aid and intelligence sharing with Kiev, raising concerns about a potential rift between the two allies.

However, according to Trump, a subsequent round of discussions between US and Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, led to a newfound willingness on Ukraine’s part to consider a ceasefire. Trump described this shift as a critical step toward resolving the war,........

© Blitz