Washington, DC [US], December 8 (ANI): US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump appeared on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, as speculation intensified over the administration’s handling of Ukraine peace negotiations.
On Sunday, Trump voiced irritation with Kyiv’s pace of engagement, saying, “I have to say that I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelensky hasn’t yet read the peace proposal,” indicating growing frustration with Ukraine’s response to recent diplomatic outreach.
Amid these tensions, Donald Trump Jr. suggested that the president could walk away from the negotiations altogether, citing persistent allegations of corruption involving senior Ukrainian officials. Speaking at the Doha Forum, Trump Jr. argued that Ukraine was “a far more corrupt country than Russia” and described President Volodymyr Zelensky as “one of the great marketers of all time.”
When asked whether his father might withdraw from the peace process, he responded, “I think he may,” while clarifying that this was solely his personal view and that he has not played a direct role in ongoing discussions.
His comments came shortly after three days of meetings in Miami between American and Ukrainian delegations. Although both sides called the talks productive, Ukrainian officials noted a lack of concrete progress and said several issues remain unresolved, particularly concerning security guarantees and territorial matters.
Ukraine has long grappled with corruption concerns, and recent developments have heightened scrutiny. Andriy Yermak, a key adviser and influential figure in peace negotiations, resigned following a raid on his home by anti-corruption authorities in November, underscoring the country’s ongoing internal challenges.
Providing an update on the talks, President Zelensky said that negotiations with the United States have been “constructive” but “not easy.” He spoke by phone on Saturday with President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. “The American representatives know the basic Ukrainian positions,” Zelensky said. “The conversation was constructive, although not easy.”
His statements come ahead of planned discussions in London today involving UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Zelensky.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin welcomed Trump’s new national security strategy, saying it “corresponds in many ways to our vision.” The strategy warns that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” and states that Washington intends to restore strategic stability with Russia.
On Sunday, Trump’s outgoing Ukraine envoy said a deal to end the conflict was “really close,” with two major issues still to be resolved: the future of the Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
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