Trump says U.S. has gotten 'nothing' from Ukraine, urges Zelensky to make deal with Russia
In short
President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday that the U.S. has "given a lot" to Ukraine and gotten "nothing" back, and said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should make a deal with Russia. A day later, Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican, blamed Ukraine's war with Russia for high diesel prices during a Senate debate.
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President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that it is time for Ukraine to agree to a deal with Russia, PBS NewsHour reported. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said: "We want Zelenskyy to make a deal. We've given a lot to Ukraine. We've gotten absolutely nothing back except grief, death, tremendous monetary loss." He said that if a deal does not happen, "I think it's going to be a very bad thing." [ 1 ]
PBS NewsHour said the president is increasing pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after relations between the two men soured again. It also reported that Trump claimed Europe is growing weary of the conflict, though European countries have been trying to offset any scaling back of U.S. supplies. [ 1 ]
CBS News said Trump continued a public feud with Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian leader "has to want to settle" the war and criticising him for not doing so. Its headlines reported Trump saying the U.S. has "gotten nothing back" from Ukraine "other than high diesel". [ 2 , 3 ]
The diesel issue was taken up the next day in Kansas. The Seattle Times, publishing an AP report, said Republican Sen. Roger Marshall told a debate on Wednesday that Ukraine's war with Russia, not the U.S. war with Iran, was to blame for high diesel prices. The report said Trump says Ukraine's strikes on Moscow's refineries are responsible for high fuel costs and that he wants to import Russian diesel. [ 5 ]
Marshall said importing Russian diesel "doesn't sound like a great idea" but added: "if this brings Russia to the bargaining table, and it ends the war, then I am all for it right now." His Democratic challenger, Adam Hamilton, said "nobody believes" Ukraine is to blame and accused Marshall of planning to "sell out our friends in Ukraine". According to AAA, diesel averaged $6.32 a gallon this week, up from $3.62 a year ago. [ 5 ]
Why it matters
The remarks show Trump increasing public pressure on Zelensky after relations between the two men soured again, according to PBS NewsHour. The Seattle Times, citing AP, reported that diesel prices have become a campaign issue in the midterm elections.
Key facts
- Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. has gotten "nothing" back from Ukraine after giving "a lot". [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Trump said "We want Zelenskyy to make a deal" and that if it does not happen, "I think it's going to be a very bad thing." [ 1 ]
- CBS News reported that Trump said Zelensky "has to want to settle" the Russia-Ukraine war and criticised him for not doing so. [ 2 ]
- Trump said Ukraine's strikes on Moscow's refineries are responsible for high fuel costs and that he wants to import Russian diesel, according to the AP report carried by The Seattle Times. [ 5 ]
- Sen. Roger Marshall said on Wednesday that Ukraine's war, not the U.S. war with Iran, was to blame for high diesel prices. [ 5 ]
- AAA put average diesel at $6.32 a gallon this week, up from $3.62 a year ago. [ 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Ukraine is responsible for high diesel prices. Trump and Marshall blame Ukraine, while Marshall's Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton said "nobody believes" Ukraine is to blame and attributed high prices to the war with Iran; only one document reports this dispute.
- Whether the U.S. will import Russian diesel. The Seattle Times, citing AP, reports Trump said he wants to, and Marshall said it "doesn't sound like a great idea"; no document reports a decision.
- What Trump meant by "a very bad thing" if no deal is made. PBS NewsHour quotes the remark without further detail.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- PBS NewsHour published its report on Trump's remarks in the Oval Office (20 October). [ 1 ]
- CBS News published a report on Trump's feud with Zelensky (20 October). [ 2 ]
- CBS News published a further report on Trump saying the U.S. has gotten "nothing" from Ukraine (20 October). [ 3 ]
- The Seattle Times published an AP report on Sen. Marshall's comments on diesel prices and Ukraine (21 October). [ 5 ]