Trump Rips European Leader Who Wants To Wait ‘A Month Or Two’ For Next Ukraine-Russia Meeting

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday morning that he pushed back on a European leader’s suggestion to wait one or two months before setting up another meeting to discuss a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.

In a phone interview with “Fox & Friends,” Trump said one of the European leaders he met with at the White House on Monday told him they should set up more peace talks “in a month or two,” an idea that the president immediately shot down. Trump did not name the European ally in question, only saying he’s “a great gentleman” whom he did not want to offend.

“I said, ‘A month or two? You’re going to have another 40,000 people dead in a month or two. You have to do it tonight!” Trump said.

“And I did, actually,” Trump added. “I called President Putin and we’re trying to work out a meeting with President Zelensky.”

.@POTUS: “One of the gentlemen… he said, ‘Well, let’s meet in another month or two…’ I said, ‘A MONTH OR TWO? You’re going to have another 40,000 people dead in a month or two — you have to do it TONIGHT.’ And I did actually, I called President Putin and we’re trying to work… pic.twitter.com/418xxn9apH

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 19, 2025

Along with Zelensky, Trump met with European Union President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

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In the middle of the meeting, Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin to set up a face-to-face meeting with the Ukrainian president. Trump told “Fox & Friends” that he did not call Putin in front of the European leaders.

“I thought that would be disrespectful to President Putin. I wouldn’t do that because they have not had the warmest relations,” Trump continued. “And, actually, President Putin wouldn’t talk to the people from Europe. That was part of the problem. They had no communication.”

.@POTUS on his call with President Putin: “I didn’t do it in front of them… because they have not had the warmest relations … It was years that he didn’t speak to anybody from the White House — and it was a long time that he didn’t speak to anybody from Europe.” pic.twitter.com/ss7LoSZn5F

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 19, 2025

German Chancellor Merz said on Monday evening that Trump successfully set up a meeting between Putin and Zelensky that is set to take place within two weeks. After the Russian and Ukrainian leaders meet one-on-one, Trump said he would step in to take part in a trilateral discussion.

“We had a very good call, and I told [Putin] that we’re going to set up a meeting with President Zelensky, and you and he will meet, and then after that meeting, if everything works out okay, I’ll meet and we’ll wrap it up,” Trump added. “It takes, in this case, two to tango. They have to have somewhat of a relationship. Otherwise, we’re just wasting a lot of time. I don’t want to be doing that. I just want to end it.”

Both Trump and Zelensky described Monday’s discussions as constructive. The U.S. president vowed to provide Ukraine with security guarantees if a peace deal is reached with Russia, and Zelensky was open to meeting with Putin to hash out a deal.