U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to pursue a negotiated agreement with Russia to end the ongoing war and to hold elections before the summer, according to statements made at the White House.
“Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelenskyy has to get moving,” Trump told reporters, as reported by multiple news agencies. He insisted that the Ukrainian leader “has to act or he’s going to lose a tremendous opportunity.” Trump also reminded Zelenskyy that “elections have to be held before the summer.”
The call for elections comes as Ukraine’s electoral process remains suspended under martial law, which has been in effect since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Originally slated for March and April of 2024, the elections have been indefinitely postponed. Recent reports suggest that Zelenskyy was considering announcing a spring election date, reportedly under pressure from Washington, but has since reiterated that any vote would require a ceasefire and sufficient security guarantees.
Trump’s push for a resolution and elections follows previous, unsuccessful attempts to mediate peace in Ukraine. His comments came as tensions between the two leaders have been escalating. In February 2025, Trump publicly labeled Zelenskyy a “dictator,” a characterization that drew swift criticism from European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who called the remark “simply wrong and dangerous.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also voiced support for Zelenskyy, affirming his democratic legitimacy.
The “dictator” label followed Zelenskyy’s criticism of U.S.-Russia talks held in Saudi Arabia, from which Kyiv was excluded. Zelenskyy had stated that Trump was “living in a disinformation space” influenced by Moscow. Trump, speaking at an investment meeting in Florida, responded by claiming Zelenskyy had “played Joe Biden like a fiddle.”
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. Envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, on Thursday, and has emphasized the importance of constructive cooperation with the United States. He has stated that peace could be strengthened with the support of both the U.S. And Europe.
