Washington DC [US], October 11 (ANI): United States President Donald Trump asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin was eager to reach a settlement to end the war in Ukraine, while criticising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for repeatedly missing opportunities to pursue peace negotiations.

Addressing reporters at Joint Base Andrews following his return from a political rally in Tennessee, the US leader claimed that Moscow was keen to secure an agreement, though he cast doubt on Kyiv's readiness to compromise.

In his remarks, Trump stated, "I think that Russia would like to make a deal, and we've had it back and forth. But Russia would like to make a deal."

He further remarked, "But as I said, this is something that could have been solved many times, but for whatever reason, Zelenskyy does not want to make a deal."

Reiterating his view that Putin wanted to bring the hostilities to a close, Trump added, "President Putin would like to see a settlement strongly."

These presidential comments followed a telephone discussion between Trump and Putin on Friday, unfolding against a backdrop of fresh friction between Washington and Kyiv regarding US decisions to relax restrictions on Russian diesel exports.

Trump announced on Friday that Russia would supply diesel to the US and international markets to mitigate fuel shortages and escalating costs tied to the continuing war in Iran. This step prompted warnings from Zelenskyy, who contended that enabling Moscow to generate extra revenue from energy sales would bolster its military campaign.

This friction has further complicated Washington's diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving an end to the war in Ukraine.

Additionally, Trump renewed his criticism of Zelenskyy for failing to conduct presidential elections amid the ongoing war, stating, "I think he should have an election, and he could have settled this thing many times."

He maintained that Ukraine would have held a stronger position in peace negotiations if its administration had secured an agreement two years earlier. Highlighting Russia's numerical superiority in military strength, Trump argued that Kyiv ought to re-evaluate its diplomatic strategy.

Nevertheless, Trump's view of Putin's motives remains an individual assessment, as no formal agreement to halt the fighting emerged from the recent dialogue between the two heads of state.

Furthermore, the Kremlin has signalled that an immediate resumption of peace negotiations remains uncertain. According to a summary of Friday's call provided by Putin's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, the Russian leader offered no commitment to restart talks with Ukraine. (ANI)