Waltz says Ukraine should ‘tone down’ criticism of Trump

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Ukraine needs to “tone down” its criticism of President Donald Trump and its leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs to “come back to the table” to work out an economic deal with the U.S.

Waltz spoke on “Fox & Friends” a day after Zelenskyy suggested Trump is in a “disinformation space” regarding peace talks with Russia. Trump responded by calling Zelenskyy “A Dictator without Elections,” writing in a Truth Social post that “Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.” 

“Why we are getting this pushback and certainly this kind of – as the vice president said, badmouthing in the press — for all the administration has done in his first term as well and all the United States has done for Ukraine is just unacceptable. They need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal,” Waltz said about Ukraine on Thursday. 

He later told reporters at the White House Press Briefing that Zelenskyy “needs to come back to the table, and we’re going to continue to have discussions about where that deal is going.”

TRUMP CALLS UKRAINE’S ZELENSKYY A ‘DICTATOR WITHOUT ELECTIONS’ AS RIFT WIDENS 

Then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump meets with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower on Sept. 27, 2024, in New York City. (AP/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

The United States has sent billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.  

The Trump administration is now seeking to recoup the cost of aid sent to the war-torn country by gaining access to rare earth minerals like titanium, iron and uranium. 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gave Zelenskyy a document when they met last week that reportedly proposed the United States being granted 50% ownership of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. However, Zelenskyy declined to sign the proposed agreement, telling the Associated Press in Munich that it didn’t provide enough security guarantees for his country. 

Waltz said Thursday that “the president thinks this is an opportunity for Ukraine going forward” and that “There can be, in my view, nothing better for Ukraine’s future and for their security than to have the United States invested in their prosperity long term.”

REPUBLICAN SENATORS BACK TRUMP’S DEMAND FOR UKRAINE ELECTIONS, BUT WON’T CALL ZELENSKYY ‘DICTATOR’ 

U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg, right, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talk during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, Feb. 20. (AP/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Zelenskyy said Thursday that he had a “productive meeting” with Keith Kellogg, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Russia and Ukraine, in Kyiv.

“I am grateful to the United States for all the assistance and bipartisan support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that “We had a detailed conversation about the battlefield situation, how to return our prisoners of war, and effective security guarantees.”

Waltz said a “key part” of Kellogg’s conversation with Zelenskyy on Thursday was “helping President Zelensky understand this war needs to come to an end.”

He added that it isn’t in America’s interest for “this war to grind on forever and ever.”

“This kind of open-ended mantra that we’ve had under the Biden administration, that’s over. And I think a lot of people are having a hard time accepting that,” Waltz also said.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gives a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday, Feb. 19. (Tetiana Dzhafarova, Pool Photo via AP)

Waltz, speaking earlier on “Fox & Friends” about recent comments Trump and Zelenskyy have made about each other, said “There is obviously a lot of frustration here.

“Vice President Vance was very frustrated leaving [last week’s] Munich Security Conference. Our Secretary of Treasury who traveled all the way to Kyiv is also frustrated, all on top of the president, obviously, who makes his frustration well known and that is because we presented the Ukrainians really an incredible and historic opportunity to have the United States of America co-invest in Ukraine, invest in its economy, invest in its natural resources, and really become a partner in Ukraine’s future in a way that is sustainable, but also would be I think the best security guarantee they could ever hope for, much more than another pallet of ammunition.” 

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“The president also said how much he loves the Ukrainian people,” Waltz said Thursday. “He was the first to arm them back in his first term, we have done a lot for the security of Ukraine and to say that we are going to change the nature of our aid going forward, I don’t think should offend anyone.” 

Fox News’ Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.