The Japan Times - Trump calls out both Putin and Zelensky over ceasefire talks

Trump first criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for questioning the credibility of Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky as a negotiating partner, saying he was "very angry, pissed off" with the Kremlin chief.

But the US leader later softened his tone on Putin and instead turned his ire on Zelensky, warning him Ukraine would have "big, big problems" if he got cold feet over a deal to sign over mineral rights to the United States.

Trump is trying to broker a ceasefire between Ukraine and its Russian invader, and has been pushing Zelensky to sign an agreement to give US firms exclusive access to Ukrainian rare earth minerals.

Earlier Sunday, NBC News journalist Kristen Welker said Trump had called her to express his fury over Putin questioning Zelensky's future -- something Trump himself has done -- and threatening secondary tariffs on firms dealing in Russian oil.

Later, Trump spoke to reporters on his plane flying back to Washington from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, and toned down some of his criticism.

- 'Big problems' -

"I was disappointed in a certain way," Trump said.

"Some of the things that he said over the last day or two having to do with Zelensky because when he considers Zelensky not credible. He's supposed to be making a deal with him, whether you like him or you don't like him.

"So I wasn't happy with that, but I think he's going to be good and I certainly wouldn't want to put secondary tariffs on Russia."

Trump then turned his fire on Zelensky, saying: "I see he's trying to back out of the rare earth deal. And if he does that he's got some problems. Big, big problems.

"We made a deal on rare earth and now he's saying, well, you know, I want to renegotiate the deal. He wants to be a member of NATO. Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that. So if he's looking to renegotiate the deal, he's got big problems."

The US president has been pushing for a speedy end to the more than three-year war since taking office, but his administration has failed to reach a breakthrough despite negotiations with both sides.

Putin rejected a joint US-Ukrainian plan for a 30-day ceasefire, and on Friday suggested Zelensky be removed from office as part of the peace process.

Warming ties between Washington and Moscow since Trump's return to office and his threats to stop supporting Kyiv have bolstered Russia on the battlefield as it pursues its floundering invasion.

Ukraine has accused Russia of dragging out talks with no intention of halting its offensive, with fresh attacks on the northeastern border city of Kharkiv.

Six strikes hit overnight Saturday into Sunday, wounding personnel undergoing treatment at a military hospital and killing at least two people in a residential building, according to Ukrainian officials.

Russian forces also captured a village just seven kilometers (four miles) from the border of Ukraine's central Dnipropetrovsk region in their latest advance, Moscow said Sunday.

The Kremlin's troops have not crossed the boundary of the region since their offensive began in 2022, but they have been grinding toward it for months in the hope of a breakthrough.

- No ceasefire -

Putin, in power for 25 years and repeatedly elected in votes with no competition, has often questioned Zelensky's "legitimacy" as president, after the Ukrainian leader's initial five-year mandate ended in May 2024.

Under Ukrainian law, elections are suspended during times of major military conflict, and Zelensky's domestic opponents have all said no ballots should be held until after the conflict.

Trump has himself had rocky relations with Zelensky, calling him a "dictator" and clashing with him live on camera at the White House last month.

Zelensky, in his evening address on Saturday, sought to rally his country's allies against Putin.

"For too long now, America's proposal for an unconditional ceasefire has been on the table without an adequate response from Russia," Zelensky said. "There could already be a ceasefire if there was real pressure on Russia."

T.Ikeda--JT