Trump Claims Progress on Ukraine Peace Deal, Criticizes Zelensky for Hurting Oil Markets

Former President Donald Trump announced Sunday that significant progress is being made toward a peace deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. In a social media post, Trump stated he was actively involved in negotiations and expressed concern that fresh sanctions against Moscow could jeopardize these efforts.

Trump also directed sharp criticism at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of prolonging the conflict by targeting Russian oil refineries. Trump alleged these attacks were causing severe disruptions to global diesel markets, negatively affecting American farmers, ranchers, and businesses. "Zelenskyy is using Diesel Refineries in Russia as a target, knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting the world diesel markets, including those in the United States," Trump wrote. "Farmers, ranchers, and businesses of all kinds are suffering greatly from this."

Trump defended his recent decision to block the immediate implementation of new sanctions against Russia, arguing that such measures could push Russian President Vladimir Putin away from peace talks. "My decision on Russia is a very simple one," he stated, adding that the sanctions could be imposed later if necessary. He also suggested that Moscow's current limited involvement with Iran suited his interests, and he wanted to maintain that status quo.

The former president painted a bleak picture of Ukraine's situation, describing its territory as devastated and its population depleted by years of fighting. "His country is in shambles, a large portion of his land is lost, his oceans and seas are gone, and his male population is low, wounded, and/or dead," Trump wrote, concluding with an emphatic statement: "I WANT THIS WAR END!"

Trump's remarks came as Ukraine reportedly launched a significant drone offensive targeting Russian territory, including industrial sites. He suggested that Zelenskyy was not interested in peace, given the substantial financial aid Ukraine has received from Europe and the United States, and that a better deal could have been struck two years ago.