Trump Says Putin Wants Ukraine Deal, Reveals What’s Holding Up Peace: ‘They Hate Each Other’

Last Updated:September 10, 2026, 05:00 IST

Trump said he had a “great” conversation with Putin on Tuesday and believed the Russian leader was open to a settlement.

Combo photo (L-R): Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine, but suggested that the personal hostility between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is holding up peace efforts.

Trump said he had a “great” conversation with Putin on Tuesday and believed the Russian leader was open to a settlement.

“He is wanting to make a deal, and if Zelenskyy is wanting to make a deal, that’d be very nice,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One for Dallas to attend the Republican National Convention.

When asked why the peace deal was taking so long, the US President, referring to Putin and Zelenskyy, said: “The holdup is two people who hate each other.”

“I think more than anything else, it’s two people that hate each other,” he added.

Trump-Putin Call

The comments came a day after the Kremlin described the hour-long conversation between Trump and Putin as “extremely frank” and constructive.

Trump’s call followed the return of US special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, from recent diplomatic meetings in Moscow and Kyiv. The two have been closely involved in Washington’s efforts to find a path towards ending the war, now in its fourth year.

Last month, CIA Director John Ratcliffe also met Russian intelligence officials in Moscow, with discussions partly focused on encouraging an end to the invasion.

Despite the renewed diplomatic push, US, Ukrainian and European intelligence officials remain sceptical that Putin is genuinely seeking an end to the war.

CIA Chief’s Reported Bigger Role

Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday that Ratcliffe is preparing to play a larger role in Washington’s negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, citing US officials who had briefed their European counterparts.

The report said the White House was considering reducing the role of Witkoff and Kushner in the Ukraine peace effort.

However, CIA spokesperson Liz Lyons rejected the report, calling it “false” in a post on X.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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What did Donald Trump say is holding up a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine?

US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, that the personal hostility and hatred between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the primary obstacle preventing a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.

What diplomatic efforts are underway to end the Russia-Ukraine war?

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner recently returned from diplomatic meetings in Moscow and Kyiv, while CIA Director John Ratcliffe also met Russian intelligence officials in Moscow to encourage an end to the invasion. Trump also had a “great” conversation with Putin on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, discussing a potential settlement.

What role is CIA Director John Ratcliffe expected to play in Ukraine peace efforts?

The Financial Times reported on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, that CIA Director John Ratcliffe is preparing for a larger role in Washington’s negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, potentially reducing the roles of Witkoff and Kushner. However, a CIA spokesperson called this report “false”.

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