Trump quips media would attack peace deal, even if Russia surrendered

Trump made the remarks ahead of a Monday meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders to discuss a possible end to the conflict.

Published: August 18, 2025 10:08am

President Donald Trump on Monday quipped that the media and his Democratic opponents would find fault with any peace deal he brokered between Russia and Ukraine, even if Moscow surrendered and made territorial concessions to Kyiv.

Trump made the remarks ahead of a Monday meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders to discuss a possible end to the conflict.

"I am totally convinced that if Russia raised their hands and said, “We give up, we concede, we surrender, we will GIVE Ukraine and the great United States of America, the most revered, respected, and powerful of all countries, EVER, Moscow and St. Petersburg, and everything surrounding them for a thousand miles, the Fake News Media and their Democrat Partners would say that this was a bad and humiliating day for Donald J. Trump, one of the worst days in the history of our Country," he posted on Truth Social.

Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, resulting in limited headway, albeit with the Trump administration sounding an optimistic tone on the prospect of a deal. Zelensky has ruled out making territorial concessions, despite the Russians insisting that the territories they annexed are non-negotiable.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.

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