Trump's ‘bothered’ Zelensky rejected his Russia land swap proposal despite it being ‘good for Ukraine’
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, August 11, after he rejected the POTUS' idea of a land swap with Russia to end the ongoing war.
The US President informed reporters in the White House Briefing Room on Monday that he "very severely" disagrees with Zelensky and added that he "was a little bothered" by the Ukrainian leader's resistance to his peace plan.
Trump: I was a little bothered by the fact that Zelenskyy was saying I have to get constitutional approval. He has approval to go to war and kill everybody but he needs approval to do a land swap because there will be some land swapping going on. I know that through Russia. pic.twitter.com/JVgknmPL1z
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 11, 2025
Trump blasts Zelensky for rejecting his Russia land swap proposal
Donald Trump told reporters, "I get along with Zelensky, but, you know, I disagree with what he’s done, very, very severely disagree. This is a war that should have never happened."
"I was a little bothered by the fact that Zelensky was saying, ‘Well, I have to get constitutional approval.’ I mean, he’s got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs approval to do a land swap, because there’ll be some land swapping going on," the POTUS added.
He also mentioned, "I know that through Russia and through conversations with everybody — for the good of Ukraine."
"Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They’ve occupied some very prime territory. We’re going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine," Trump said.
Zelensky said on Saturday, "Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,” adding, “Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace. They will bring nothing. These are dead decisions; they will never work."
Trump said land swap would be for betterment of both Russia and Ukraine
Donald Trump suggested a potential land swap on Friday, just before he revealed plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Putin reportedly informed Trump envoy Steve Witkoff that he would end the war against Ukraine in exchange for the region in eastern Ukraine known as the Donbas.
Russian troops have taken over large swaths of eastern Ukraine, but Ukrainian forces continue to fight back, seeking to push out the Russian invaders.
Trump said at the White House on Friday, "Putin, I believe, wants to see peace, and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky wants to see peace."
He further mentioned that there would be "some swapping" of territories between Russia and Ukraine.
"It’s very complicated, but we’re going to get some back and we’re going to get some switched … to the betterment of both," the POTUS added.
Zelensky was not invited to the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska.
However, one of Trump’s stipulations for meeting with Putin is that the Russian leader would agree to hold talks with Zelensky.
In the past, the MAGA leader has publicly bashed both Zelensky and Putin, as most of his recent criticism has focused on Putin and Russia’s continued targeting of Ukrainian civilian centers.
The POTUS said on Monday, "We’re going to have a meeting with Vladimir Putin, and at the end of that meeting, probably in the first two minutes, I’ll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made."
"Ultimately, I’m going to put the two of them in a room. I’ll be there, or I won’t be there, and I think it’ll get solved," he added.
Steve Witkoff mistook Putin’s demand as a proposed concession
Steve Witkoff mistook Vladimir Putin’s demand for a "peaceful withdrawal" of Ukrainian forces from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as a proposed concession from the Russian leader to pull back Russian troops in the regions, according to Bild.
An anonymous Ukrainian official informed the outlet, "Witkoff doesn’t know what he’s talking about."
Meanwhile, after the meeting, Trump said Russia could withdraw from the two regions in exchange for Donetsk.
This is deeply damaging incompetence. Witkoff should finally start taking a notetaker from the U.S. embassy for future meetings. That's how professional diplomacy works. https://t.co/b22XtGXZFH
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) August 9, 2025
However, during a phone call between Witkoff, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and European leaders on Thursday, the special envoy said Russia would withdraw from those regions and “freeze the front line”, the outlet reported.
Furthermore, complicating the call was the fact that Witkoff and Vance only wanted to inform European officials about the Trump administration’s progress in the negotiations, but Rubio thought the Europeans should be further involved in the ongoing talks.
This confusion led European leaders to request another call on Friday to clarify the proposal.
