Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will have to like a U.S.-backed peace plan to halt Russia's invasion and ultimately approve it, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday.
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office after a meeting with New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, repeated he had expected to resolve the war much earlier, adding, "It takes two to tango."
Earlier Friday, Zelensky said Kyiv intensified discussions with Washington on the American proposal to end the war, following an almost hour-long call with US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.
In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky said the sides "managed to cover a lot of details of the American side's proposals for ending the war," adding that Ukraine is working to ensure the path forward is "dignified and truly effective for achieving a lasting peace."
He expressed gratitude for Washington's "attention and willingness to work together with us and our partners," noting that Ukraine, the US and European states agreed to continue coordination "at the level of national security advisors to make the path to peace truly doable."
"Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect US President Donald Trump's desire to put an end to the bloodshed, and we view every realistic proposal positively," he said, stressing that the sides agreed to maintain constant contact and teams "are ready to work 24/7."
Zelensky's remarks come amid discussions about the contours of the US-drafted proposal and Kyiv's insistence that any settlement must guarantee a sustainable and just peace.
Trump previously said he thinks Nov. 27 is an "appropriate" deadline for Ukraine's response.
