Trump says Putin wants a deal more than Zelensky, claims energy truce violations on both sides

US President Donald Trump has said Russian President Vladimir Putin is more interested in a deal to end the war than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and that Washington must "make Zelensky want a deal". He also said violations of the announced "energy ceasefire" were allegedly committed by both sides.

The remarks were reported by Ukrainska Pravda on 13 October, citing Trump's comments to journalists. The exact date and venue were not given in the report, and RealUA could not independently verify the wording beyond that translation.

What Trump said

"I think Putin wants a deal, and we have to make Zelensky want a deal," Trump said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

Journalists pointed out that Russia attacked Ukraine again after the truce was announced. Trump replied that violations were allegedly "on both sides". He nonetheless said he believes the energy ceasefire is in effect, and that reports of violations need to be checked. He did not identify any specific Ukrainian violation.

He was also asked why Ukraine and Russia appeared not to have known they had agreed to the truce. "Well, they agreed. Because I said: 'You agree.' That's why they agreed. Because I said so," Trump said.

Contrasting accounts

Trump's description of mutual violations differs from what Kyiv has said. In an earlier statement reported by RealUA, Zelensky said Ukraine did not strike Russian energy facilities overnight in line with the truce, while Russia hit a gas facility and a petrol station. Zelensky also said Russia struck the CHP-5 thermal power plant in Kharkiv on the evening of 11 October, hours after Trump announced the truce. Moscow has not confirmed that it agreed to any truce.

The scope of the arrangement is itself disputed. A White House representative told Axios that the "energy ceasefire" means only that Russia and Ukraine stop attacking each other's oil refineries. Axios noted that Ukraine has just one refinery. Zelensky had earlier offered to stop striking Russian refineries if Russia ended attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Axios also reported that Kyiv was not told of Trump's announcement in advance, though Zelensky said Ukraine's armed forces had received orders to observe the truce.

Background

The comments fit a pattern in Trump's recent statements on the war. Earlier this month he said Ukraine should choose a new leader who can make a deal to end the war. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded that Zelensky has the Ukrainian people's support and that only they can decide who leads the country. Elon Musk also backed a Trump statement that Zelensky could have ended the war but chooses not to, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

Peace efforts have been complicated by Trump's announced diesel supply arrangement with Putin, after which efforts to restart talks stalled, the New York Times reported. Axios has also reported that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner postponed a trip to Moscow until it is clear whether Ukraine will accept a refinery-only truce.

What is unclear

No independent verification of the alleged violations by Ukraine has been presented. Neither the Kremlin nor Kyiv had commented on Trump's latest remarks in the source material. It also remains unclear what monitoring mechanism, if any, would "check" the reports of violations Trump referred to.