The key facts

  • Trump said Zelensky 'should make a deal' with Russia and that the US 'got nothing in return' except 'grief, death' and 'huge monetary losses'.
  • The statement came after Zelensky's meeting with a US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo; Witkoff is due to meet Putin on Wednesday.
  • Zelensky described the talks as constructive, confirmed the restoration of intelligence sharing, and proposed a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin.

Trump demands a 'deal'

US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday, October 20, that he wants Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to 'make a deal' with Russia. 'We want Zelensky to make a deal. He can make a deal,' Trump said. According to him, Zelensky 'could have made a deal two years ago, when we had that conversation in the Oval Office' — apparently referring to the heated exchange at the meeting in early 2025. Trump added that Zelensky 'will have to want to make a deal, because, in his opinion, 'his people can't take it anymore'.

Grievances over support for Kyiv

Trump complained that the US 'got nothing in return' for its aid to Ukraine, 'except grief, death' and 'huge monetary losses'. 'We gave Ukraine huge sums; we got nothing in return. Except high-quality diesel fuel,' he said, adding that 'American taxpayers are tired of this'. 'It's time to make a deal,' Trump concluded. He also blamed Zelensky for the continuation of the war, repeating that he had had a chance to reach an agreement. Relations between the two leaders have been unstable since the start of Trump's second term in January of last year, and in recent weeks they deteriorated after Trump made a diesel deal with Vladimir Putin and criticized the impact of Ukrainian strikes on Russia's energy sector on global fuel prices. Trump is preparing for the midterm elections, which will determine the composition of Congress for the last two years of his term.

Meeting in Oslo

Trump's comments came shortly after Zelensky met in Oslo with an American delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is due to travel to Russia on Wednesday for a meeting with Putin. The talks also involved Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. After the meeting, Zelensky looked relatively optimistic: he told reporters about a recent constructive conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and called for a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin.

Intelligence and plans

At a press conference with the Nordic leaders, Zelensky commented on reports of restrictions on intelligence sharing with the US, saying he was 'grateful' that 'intelligence is now working'. 'I'm talking about early warning, which is very important for our people, for children, adults, civilians, because we can hear when a ballistic missile is approaching,' he noted. Later in the evening, Zelensky wrote on social media: 'It was constructive, because we all want peace — Ukraine, Europe, the United States. And we'll see what happens tomorrow.'