WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Trump sounds off on Zelenskyy's insults as US works to broker Ukraine peace deal with Russia: 'I've had it'

President Donald Trump addressed escalating tensions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Friday, warning he has "had it" with the backlash as the U.S. works with Russian officials to broker a peace deal in the ongoing war. 

Trump argued Zelenskyy has "no cards" to negotiate leverage for a deal on "The Brian Kilmeade Show," as the pair have publicly hurled insults at one another in recent days. 

"I've been watching this man for years now as his cities get demolished, as his people get killed, as his soldiers get decimated," Trump told Brian Kilmeade.

"I've been watching him negotiate with no cards. He has no cards, and you get sick of it," he continued. "You just get sick of it, and I've had it."

Trump argued Zelenskyy is a poor negotiator, noting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Ukraine last week to broker a mineral agreement, worth hundreds of billions of dollars, but said the pair "couldn't even come close" to a deal.

The president said the entire trip was dangerous for Bessent, and a waste of time. 

The deal would have facilitated U.S. investment in the war-torn nation and also provided "the best security guarantee they could ever hope for," according to national security advisor Mike Waltz.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials traveled to Saudi Arabia to discuss a possible peace deal with Russian counterparts, a meeting that Ukraine was not invited to. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Waltz met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs advisor, Yuri Ushakov, to hash out ways to end the conflict. 

Zelenskyy told reporters Tuesday in Turkey that "nobody decides anything behind our back," after stressing in recent days that Kyiv will not agree to a peace negotiation without Ukraine’s input.

"I get tired of listening to it," Trump responded. "I've seen it enough, and then he complains that he's not at a meeting that we're having with Saudi Arabia trying to intermediate peace. Well, he's been at meetings for three years with a... president who didn't know what the hell he was doing. He's been at the meetings for three years and nothing got done, so I don't think he's very important to be at meetings, to be honest with you. He's been there for three years. He's he makes it very hard to make deals."

U.S. officials also have met with Ukrainian officials about a peace deal. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg said Wednesday in a post on X that the U.S. remains committed to ending the war and finding ways to establish "sustainable peace." 

Trump placed blame for the war on then-President Biden's inability to negotiate with Putin. 

"Joe Biden is a very dumb man who was dumber than ever before," he said. "He had no idea what he was doing, and everything he said was wrong. And I said, you know what… I think he's going to cause a war. And that's what happened… Putin could have been talked out of that so easy, but they didn't know how to talk… but [Biden] said all the wrong things — and I'm not trying to make Putin like nicer or better — I'm just telling you the fact that war should have never happened. Putin would have never gone in."

Trump now says a peace deal between the countries is only possible because he is back in office.

"They only want to talk because of me," Trump said. "If I wasn't involved, they wouldn't be talking to each other, and Russia would continue to… go through Ukraine… They've taken a lot of land, and Russia would continue the march through Ukraine. If it wasn't for me, they wouldn't be talking at all. I'm the only reason they're talking."

"I've been watching this go on for years, and I'm doing it for one reason," he said. "I hate the killing. I hate to see those young people killed. They're not Americans. They're Russians and Ukrainians. I hate to see the killing."

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces hit Ukrainian attack drone warehouses, drone operator sites — top brass

The Russian military struck Ukrainian infrastructure over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported.

"The Russian Armed Forces hit the infrastructure of Ukrainian military airfields, attack drone warehouses and drone operator sites, ammunition and fuel depots, as well as enemy temporary deployment sites in 157 areas," the ministry said.

TASS has compiled the main information on the special military operation progress over the past 24 hours.

Battlegroup West

The Russian Armed Forces have liberated the Novolubovka settlement in the Lugansk People's Republic, the Defense Ministry reported.

"As a result of decisive actions of the battlegroup West, the Novolubovka settlement in the Lugansk People's Republic has been liberated," it said.

According to the ministry, over the past 24 hours, the battlegroup defeated the manpower and equipment of six Ukrainian brigades, eliminating over 200 enemy servicemen and destroying a tank and a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier.

Battlegroup South

The servicemen on the battlegroup South have defeated Ukraine’s Foreign Legion units in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian military reported.

"The battlegroup South has taken more favorable lines and positions, defeating the manpower and equipment of six Ukrainian brigades and the Foreign Legion units. The battlegroup also eliminated up to 220 Ukrainian servicemen," the statement said.

The ministry added that the Ukrainian military also lost an infantry fighting vehicle, nine vehicles and six field artillery guns, including a US-made 155 mm M777 howitzer, an electronic warfare station and an ammunition depot.

Battlegroup Center

Russia’s battlegroup Center has improved its tactical positions, eliminating over 375 Ukrainian servicemen, the Defense Ministry said.

"The battlegroup Center defeated the manpower and equipment of 17 Ukrainian brigades. The enemy lost over 375 servicemen," the statement emphasized.

The Ukrainian military also lost four armored combat vehicles, including a US-made MaxxPro armored vehicle, five vehicles and seven field artillery guns, including a US-made Paladin 155 mm howitzer, the ministry added.

Battlegroup East

The battlegroup East eliminated up to 160 servicemen and destroyed a German-made Leopard tank over the past 24 hours, the ministry pointed out.

"The battlegroup East continued to advance deep into the enemy's defense, defeating the manpower and equipment of five Ukrainian brigades. The enemy lost up to 160 servicemen, two tanks, including a German-made Leopard, three vehicles and two field artillery guns," the statement said.

Battlegroups North, Dnepr

The battlegroups North and Dnepr wipes out up to 125 Ukrainian servicemen over the past 24 hours, the military said.

The enemy also lost an armored personnel carrier, six vehicles, two artillery guns and four electronic warfare stations, as well as an ammunition depot.

Fox News/Tass