President Donald Trump opened a high-stakes meeting by trying to project command and confidence, but quickly drifted into familiar grievances, personal score-settling, and a rambling detour that left onlookers stunned by how little he seemed to grasp the weight of the moment.
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spent more than three hours in talks Sunday on ending the war with Russia — before veering off script to relitigate the 2020 election, praise his relationship with President Vladimir Putin, and undercut the seriousness of the discussion in real time.
“We went through the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax together,” Trump said of Putin, referring to investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump said, as Zelensky raised an eyebrow. Trump then added, “It sounds a little strange,” to which Zelensky smiled, nodded, and replied dryly, “Yeah.”
Trump told reporters that he had already made similar comments privately. “I was explaining to the president [Zelensky], President Putin was very generous in his feeling toward Ukraine succeeding,” Trump said, glossing over the fact that Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
At several points, Zelensky appeared to struggle to conceal his disbelief. As Trump continued revisiting his claims about election interference and his rapport with Putin, Zelensky twiddled his thumbs, rolled his eyes, and shifted his feet behind the podium. When Trump repeated his suggestion that Putin’s intentions were misunderstood, Zelensky let out an incredulous laugh.
The meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort came amid renewed U.S.-led diplomatic efforts and just a day after Russia struck Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones, killing at least one person in Ukraine’s capital and injuring 27 others.
Both leaders said progress had been made, but Trump repeatedly stressed the complexity of negotiations while attributing the war itself to his false claim that the 2020 U.S. election had been “rigged and stolen.”
“If the election weren’t rigged and stolen, 2020, you wouldn’t’ve had this war, would’ve never happened. And it didn’t happen for four years, never was even thought to happen,” Trump said, suggesting the 4-year gap between his first and second terms had caused the conflict. “And I spoke with President Putin, I got along with him very well, despite the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, which was a total hoax.”
On social media, critics seized on the contrast between Trump’s remarks Sunday and his repeated campaign promises to end the war within 24 hours. Influencers urged followers to “watch Zelenskyy’s face” as Trump launched into what they described as his typical dog-and-pony show.
“This man has absolutely no brains no class. Always living in the past always about him,” fumed one viewer.
Another added, “He just cannot help playing his greatest hits of bs at every opportunity to plump up his self gratifying fragile ego. Absolutely everything has to be about him.”
Despite describing himself as “on the side of peace,” Trump said he understood Putin’s resistance to a ceasefire sought by Ukraine.
“He feels that look, you know, they’re fighting and to stop, and if they have to start again, which is a possibility, he doesn’t want to be in that position—I understand that position,” Trump said.
Asked whether he had set a deadline, Trump demurred.
“I don’t have deadlines,” he said. “You know what my deadline is? Getting the war ended.”
On X, a viral montage posted by Call to Activism highlighted Trump’s past pledges, including: “Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled … And we’ll do it quickly… I will fix that within 24 hours … 100 percent sure.”
Back at Sunday’s press conference, a reporter pressed Trump on what would happen if negotiations collapsed, asking “what happens in a few weeks if things sputter, what are you prepared to do?”
Trump raised both his hands in a palms-up shrug. “They keep fighting, and they keep dying. No good. But if things don’t happen, they keep fighting, and they keep dying. And we don’t want that to happen. He doesn’t want it to happen,” Trump said, pointing toward Zelensky. “President Putin doesn’t want it to happen either.”
The lack of decorum sent viewers over the edge.
“Decorum level negative 5 billion,” said one viewer. Another added, “Zelenskyy’s reaction is in his body language.”
“The President of the United States sounds like an idiot,” said JK while another keenly observed, “Putin doesn’t care if people keep dying. He wants the territories, so he will kill as many as possible to get it.”
Both leaders acknowledged that major obstacles remain, particularly over territory. Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukraine, including most of the Donbas region.
“You know our position,” Zelensky said. “We have to respect our law and our people. We respect the territory which we control.”
Trump acknowledged the difficulty. “Some of that land has been taken,” he said. “Some of that land is maybe up for grabs, but it may be taken over the next period of a number of months.”
Zelensky later said U.S. and Ukrainian teams would meet again next week. European leaders echoed cautious optimism, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praising “good progress” while calling for “ironclad security guarantees from day one,” and French President Emmanuel Macron announcing a meeting in Paris next month to finalize commitments.
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