Trump says won't "put up with" perceived Zelensky hesitancy about peace

WASHINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday the United States "will not put up with" what he perceived as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's hesitancy about reaching a U.S.-brokered peace deal with Russia.

"This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy," Trump, using an alternative spelling of the Ukrainian leader's last name, wrote in a Truth Social post in which he included a link to a report by The Associated Press quoting Zelensky as saying late Sunday that the end of Ukraine's conflict with Russia "is still very, very far away."

"America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump said. "It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be Peace as long as he has America's backing."

Trump's renewed criticism of Zelensky came after a fiery confrontation between the two at a meeting Friday in the Oval Office that led Trump to a determination that Zelensky was "not ready for peace if America is involved."

Zelensky was "kicked out" of the White House after the unexpected and unprecedented brawl without signing the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal, which should have been what he traveled to the United States for.

"We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope (for) U.S. support on the path to peace. Peace is needed as soon as possible," Zelensky said in a post on social media platform X on Monday.

Trump in his Monday post also chided Europe, whose leaders warmly welcomed Zelensky in London on Sunday to convene a meeting pledging continued European support for Ukraine -- not without the backing of Washington, though.

"Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. -- Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia," Trump said.