As tensions mount between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over stalled peace talks, a GOP senator sparked international backlash by publicly praising "President Putin" as a leader committed to "peace."
North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer made waves Wednesday when he insisted that Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Zelenskyy, were both committed to "peace" in an appearance on CNN.
"I think it's a delicate balance right now," Cramer said. "But I'm committed like he is, and I think that President Zelenskyy and President Putin are ultimately [committed] to some peace that stops the killings. That's what we have to have on all sides."
Sen. Kevin Cramer says he thinks President Putin is committed to peace in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/uE5sxB5FZZ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 23, 2025
Efforts to broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine hit another roadblock this week when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff both withdrew last minute from high-level talks in London, the Washington Post reported.
The divide widened after Ukraine's President Zelenskyy outright rejected a reported U.S. proposal that would recognize Crimea as Russian in exchange for halting the war. At the same time, GOP leaders close to Trump, including Vice President JD Vance, are pressuring Ukraine to accept current battle lines as the foundation for peace.
Trump took to Truth Social Wednesday to further blast the Ukrainian leader, accusing Zelenskyy of "boasting" and speaking in ways that were "harmful" to peace negotiations.
"It's inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy's that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country," Trump wrote.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials continue to advocate for an immediate ceasefire, especially following a Russian drone attack on Wednesday that killed nine civilians in Dnipropetrovsk and wounded dozens more.
Originally published on Latin Times
