Reuters Interview on the 14th
Putin "Ready to Negotiate"
Peace Talks at a Standstill... Power and Heating Disruptions in the Depths of Winter
President Donald Trump of the United States identified Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, rather than Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the main obstacle to ending the war in Ukraine.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters at the White House on the 14th (local time), President Trump said of President Putin, "I think he is ready to negotiate," adding, "Ukraine is less prepared to negotiate."
When asked why the war in Ukraine has not yet ended, President Trump replied firmly, "Zelensky." Regarding why President Zelensky is hesitant to negotiate, Trump said, "I just think he is having difficulty reaching an agreement."
Reuters reported that this perspective differs from that of European allies who place responsibility on Russia, and suggests that Trump's dissatisfaction with Zelensky is growing. However, President Trump left open the possibility of meeting President Zelensky at the World Economic Forum (WEF) to be held in Davos, Switzerland next week.
Recently, Russia and Ukraine have continued the war amid repeated deadlocks in U.S.-led peace negotiations. On this day, Ukraine declared a state of emergency after Russian airstrikes disrupted its power supply network, and began preparations to expand electricity imports from abroad. In the capital Kyiv, power and heating were cut off in about half of all apartment buildings at one point, and even now, heating is not functioning in more than 400 apartment buildings, according to Reuters and AFP.
In particular, Russia has heightened tensions by expanding its attacks to civilian areas. President Zelensky stated on the 12th that the U.S. security guarantee was in its final review stage, but soon after, a large-scale Russian missile attack dampened expectations. Meanwhile, Russia, around the same time, indicated a deadlock in negotiations through state media, stating that "peace talks are getting worse and worse."
The controversy over the U.S. attempt to purchase Greenland from Denmark, which has deepened rifts in transatlantic (U.S.-Europe) relations, is also undermining momentum for negotiations. In addition, with instability in Venezuela and the spread of anti-government protests in Iran raising questions about possible U.S. military intervention, discussions on Ukraine's security guarantees have been pushed to the background. President Zelensky, reporting on the Russian airstrikes, called for additional support.
Additionally, President Trump told Reuters that while he viewed former Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi positively as an individual, he questioned whether he could gain acceptance as a leader within Iran. Regarding Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, he expressed praise for her but remained skeptical about whether she could garner broad public support.
As for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Trump said he had no plans to dismiss Powell, but maintained his critical stance by emphasizing the president's right to speak out on monetary policy. Regarding the midterm elections, he acknowledged the challenges but said he would work hard to secure victory.
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