President Donald Trump is putting pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that Zelensky, not Russia, is now the major stumbling block to ending the Ukraine war.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said he believed Russia was ready to negotiate a peace deal but pointed to Zelensky’s refusal to compromise as the key barrier. The remarks came after days of increasingly tense reports that peace talks were near collapse.

“I thought it might be easier to get a deal with Zelensky, but so far it has been harder,” Trump admitted. He added that despite the challenges, he remains hopeful that an agreement can be reached for the sake of “humanity.”

The sticking point, Trump indicated, is Crimea. On Tuesday, Zelensky publicly rejected any deal that would allow Russia to keep Crimea, saying flatly, “There is nothing to talk about—it is our land.” Trump, in a post shortly afterward, reminded Zelensky that “Crimea was lost years ago” under the Obama administration and called Zelensky’s stance “very harmful to the peace negotiations.”

In his Oval Office comments, Trump doubled down, emphasizing the human cost of continued war. He described receiving grim satellite images showing battlefields littered with casualties.

“We’re losing about 5,000 soldiers every week—Russians and Ukrainians,” Trump said. “They’re not Americans, but they’re human beings. They have families. They wave goodbye to their sons, and then they get a call that their son is no longer there.”

Trump’s urgency reflects growing frustration inside his administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned last week that the U.S. could soon walk away from the negotiation process if it becomes clear that neither side is serious about peace. Vice President JD Vance echoed those sentiments on Wednesday, stating, “We’ve issued a very explicit proposal… It’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away.”

Another major move could soon be in the works: a direct meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump confirmed that such a meeting is likely “shortly thereafter” although it probably won’t occur in Saudi Arabia, where many prior Ukraine discussions were hosted.

“I will be meeting with him,” Trump said of Putin. “It’s possible [in Saudi Arabia], but most likely not.”

The stakes could not be higher. After more than two years of brutal war, the opportunity to finally end the bloodshed may depend on whether Zelensky is willing to move off his hardline demands—and whether Trump can broker a deal that satisfies both sides without selling out American interests.

Meanwhile, inside Washington, pressure is building. Some conservatives argue the U.S. has already overcommitted resources to Ukraine and should focus on strengthening American energy and military capabilities at home. Others insist that peace is not just about geopolitics—but about saving lives.

Trump made clear where he stands.

“This isn’t just about land,” he said. “This is about a lot of humanity.”

The next few weeks could determine whether the war in Ukraine drags on—or whether Trump can deliver the kind of breakthrough that has eluded world leaders for years.