United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin would be “stupid” if they fail to agree to end the war between the two countries.
Addressing world leaders at the World Economic Forum, Trump asserted that his peace deal is enough to end the war and that Zelenskyy and Putin would be “stupid” if they failed to finalize the deal.
He added that the two nations are at a critical crossroads that could end nearly four years of devastating conflict.
“I believe they’re at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done,” he said. “And if they don’t, they’re stupid. That goes for both of them. And I know they’re not stupid. But if they don’t get this done, they are stupid.”
“We are reasonably close to a deal on Ukraine.”
Trump also said that the Russia-Ukraine war “is a war that should have never started,” adding that “it wouldn’t have started if the 2020 US presidential election weren’t rigged.”
Somewhat out of nowhere, he said, “People will soon be prosecuted for what they did.”
He then moved on to his great relationship with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, saying he knows him “very well.”
“President Putin called me, he said, ‘You know, I can’t believe I’ve worked in that war for ten years trying to settle it, I couldn’t do it.’ I said, do me a favor. Focus on settling your war. Don’t worry about that.”
The President’s remarks come at a high-stakes moment in January 2026, as White House envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff prepare for a pivotal mission to Moscow.
While the Trump peace deal for Ukraine reportedly includes a 20-point plan featuring security guarantees and a potential “free economic zone” in the Donbas, significant hurdles remain.
Trump has recently expressed frustration with President Zelenskyy, suggesting that Kyiv has been more “reticent” to sign than Moscow.
It was also gathered that Trump is planning to meet Zelenskyy in Davos on Thursday, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Zelensky was in Kyiv on Wednesday as Trump spoke at the World Economic Forum. In his speech, Trump said he was planning to meet Zelensky later in the day.
“I’m dealing with President Zelensky, and I think he wants to make a deal,” Trump said.
Later, while taking questions from the press during a bilateral meeting with Switzerland, the U.S president said the meeting is on Thursday.
The pair intends to continue discussions about efforts to end the Ukraine war.
