Zelensky Praises Trump’s Gaza Peace Deal, Urges Similar Push To End Russia’s War In Ukraine | World News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Saturday, congratulating him on brokering the Gaza peace deal and expressing hope that a similar approach could help end the war in Ukraine.

Zelensky called the call “very positive and productive” in a post about X. He wrote: “I congratulated @POTUS on his success and the Middle East agreement he was able to achieve, which is a remarkable achievement. If one war can be stopped in one region, then of course other wars can be stopped, including the Russian war.”

Zelensky also briefed Trump on Russia’s recent attacks targeting Kiev’s energy infrastructure and expressed appreciation for Trump’s “willingness to support us.”

Leaders are reportedly exploring new strategies to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. Noting that concrete proposals are on the table, Zelensky said, “There are good options and solid ideas on how we can really strengthen us,” and emphasized the importance of forcing Moscow to participate in real diplomacy. “There needs to be readiness to engage in real diplomacy on the Russian side; this can be achieved with force. Thank you, Mr. President!” he added.

I had a very positive and productive meeting with US President Donald Trump. I congratulated @POTUS It is an extraordinary achievement in terms of its success and the Middle East agreement it managed to achieve. If war can be stopped in one region, of course other wars can be stopped too… pic.twitter.com/gDuEANq2e6— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 11, 2025

Trump’s announcement Thursday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to phase in the first of their Gaza peace plans, including a ceasefire and the release of hostages, was widely praised by world leaders as a diplomatic breakthrough.

The dynamic between Zelensky and Trump has noticeably improved since their tense public meeting at the White House in February. Trump has since referred to the Ukrainian leader as a “good guy” and reaffirmed his support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, which began with Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

In August, Zelensky returned to Washington after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. During his visit, Trump reiterated America’s readiness to support European-led efforts toward a peace agreement in Ukraine. “People are being killed and we want to stop it,” Trump said at the time. “I wouldn’t say this isn’t the end of the road. We have a good chance to do it. It’s been almost four years.”

He also hinted at a potential trilateral summit, saying he expected a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin before his proposed talks with both leaders.

But just last month, Trump expressed frustration with the Kremlin, stating that he was “very disappointed” in President Putin, and announced plans for new measures aimed at reducing casualties in the ongoing war.

Ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict remains one of Trump’s stated foreign policy priorities and is an issue he has consistently highlighted since his presidential campaign.